


Life of the Party

by calina_tere



Series: The Adventures of Ben Kenobi and Asori Keithel [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Genre: Cunnilingus, F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff and Angst, Inappropriate Use of the Force, Oral Sex, Romance, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-02-05
Packaged: 2018-09-15 16:06:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 23,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9243269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calina_tere/pseuds/calina_tere
Summary: Ben and Asori explore their relationship and its possibilities.





	1. Chapter 1

> “Can you believe this?” Hamara whispered. “This is embarrassing.” Today represented the start of the sexual technique courses for the “students” at the Academy on Karfeddion. Not the young women knew what planet they were on.
> 
> “Why are we here?” Asori not so softly replied. Hamara shrunk back as the instructor glared at the pair.
> 
> “Asori Keithel. Stand up.” Doing as she was told, Asori jumped to her feet. She held onto Hamara’s hand for comfort and support, gave it a squeeze and bumped it against her thigh. “If you were not as academically talented and beautiful as you are, you would have been sold off for kitchen work.” The teacher walked to the back of the room and stood face to face with the young woman. Defiant, Asori stared right back and refused to break her gaze. “If you wish to survive and even thrive, you will need to learn to control certain impulses,” the teacher said as she tapped Asori’s lips. “Your future Master will see that this has another use. So let us begin. Since you seem talkative today, Asori, pick up one of the models on the desk and explain the human male anatomy to the rest of the class.”
> 
> “Yes, Mistress” Asori replied, reluctant to let go of Hamara but she did and walked to the front of the room. Looking over the various models of human male cocks lined up on the desk, Asori finally settled on one - it was a darker beige color. The head was shaded a dark pink - smooth to the touch. It was circumcised, not too thick in diameter. She thought it a good length for its size - that it wouldn’t be uncomfortable if she was face to face with it in reality. She felt the veins just underneath. Holding it gently, she looked at the instructor. “Are they true to weight? It is heavier than I expected.” Her thumb then absent-mindedly brushed the well-defined frenulum and scar around the corona. It seemed like the right thing to do.
> 
> “The weight is reflective of the material the model is made of. Why did you choose that one?” the instructor asked.
> 
> “I,” she felt her cheeks burn red, “I think it is prettier than the rest.”
> 
> “Will you think the same of your Master’s cock?”
> 
> “Probably not, but I will tell him that it is the most beautiful cock I’ve seen,” the rest of the room erupted into quiet giggles. Asori’s attitude was in rare form today.
> 
> “But will you believe it even if it looks different than the one you hold in your hand?”
> 
> “No. I won’t. Because I have seen this one. If there is a man with one similar to it, he will have the most beautiful cock I’ve ever seen.”  

“A credit for your thoughts?” Calla asked.

Asori spent the last 10 minutes staring and picking at her breakfast. She arrived in Mos Espa last night and met by her (human) friend, Calla. Asori would spend the week with her while in the city for her tutoring sessions. Her thoughts drifted back to a training lesson at the Academy and a statement about the most beautiful cock she had seen. She always lied about it to her Master. But Ben’s… she thought his was close enough to the model to say it was the most beautiful she had seen with some certainty.  “Imperial or local?” Asori let out a huff and shook her head from her daydream.

Calla set the bottle of juice on the table a she sat down. “Local.”

“Pfft. Girl - I am not that cheap.” Asori leaned back in her chair with a laugh. “Imperial credits only! It’s the only way I will be able to pay my way to Takodana.”

“How’s that going?”

“I have most of the fare saved up. I want to have a little nest egg so that if it takes me a while to find work, I won’t starve to death or have to sleep under a tree.” Asori stared at the cabinet behind Calla and sighed, “But I don’t know now.”

“That is all you have talked about for 3 years! Are you crazy?! What do you mean you don’t know?!” Calla said as her Twi’lek husband, Talun, walked in. “Hey hon.”

“Morning, Love. Good to see you Asori,” as he fixed a plate of food and sat with them. “Is this women talk? Do I need to leave?”

“Good morning, Talun. No, I don’t think so. We were just catching up.”

“How’s life in the south?” Talun asked.

“It’s been busy. All of the kids I teach in and around Anchorhead sit for the district school admission exams this week. Nerve wracking that I can’t been there but they will do fine. I have a good feeling about it. I had a couple of very promising dates with a man named Ben Jaxor. He has a small house on the edge of the Jundland wastes. We spent this past weekend together.”

Calla sat forward, her eyes lit up, “I thought you were turning down all of the attempts at matchmaking.”

“It wasn’t that. We met at one of the cantinas.”

“Kriff, Asori. Most of those men are nothing but scoundrels. Thieves. You are better than that!” Talun chimed in. “You shouldn’t see him again. They aren’t to be trusted.”

“He isn’t a thief or a scoundrel. Ben’s charming and funny. He’s very intelligent… generous…” her mind drifted to the intense orgasms he gave her. “Mhmm.”

Calla caught the grin and blush that briefly colored Asori’s face. She knew exactly what her friend meant. “Generous, hmm? Perhaps Ben could teach you a thing or two, Talun!”

The Twi’lek male looked back and forth between the two women. “Don’t go there, _freykaa_ ,” as the lek closest to his wife twitched. Calla blushed, even if it was not obvious with her darker skin.

“Do you need to go to your room?” Asori said before taking a sip of juice. Talun then curled the lek closest to Asori in the same manner one would crook a finger to say ‘come here.’ She shook her head and laughed. The three shared a very drunken tryst (the second anniversary of Asori’s freedom) early in his and Calla’s relationship. Talun continued flirtatious shenanigans with Asori because it was a fantasy he wanted to recreate when they were more sober. “Really, though, I’ve never met anyone like him. And he has the most beautiful blue eyes. I could get lost in them for hours. I know … I haven’t known him all that long and I shouldn’t even speculate but… hmph. Just as I had my escape plan all worked out, too. But I’ve really… really enjoyed our time together. Then again, he is hard to read and he hasn’t really said all that much about himself or how he got here; I am not sure what he’s looking for.”

“You said you met at a cantina? What is this nice guy doing at a cantina?” Talun asked, a bit skeptical. “I don’t think he was all that nice to you…” as he gestured to Asori’s chest. Her slightly hunched posture gave them both a view of the bite marks and small bruises dotted across her chest and on her breasts.

Asori shrugged and felt no particular need to change how she sat. “He was a bit… enthusiastic our second night … oh fuck… it was amazing,” Asori rolled her head back and sighed. “He was very apologetic the next morning when he saw the bruises.” She looked over at Calla, “Between us, I think he kinda liked them. And gods...” she shifted in her chair while she pressed on her lower abdomen as her pussy clenched at the memories of his mouth and his cock on and in her.

Talun protested, “I am right here!”

“But to your question,” Asori took a deep breath and returned to the present. “He was there for what anyone is there for - a drink. I was being hit on by an Anzat… have you heard of Anzats? They apparently have tentacles that shoot out of their cheeks and can go up your nose to eat your brain! Ben saved me from becoming dinner.”

“But not dessert!” Calla slapped her hand on the table and howled with laughter. She said it because she knew it would embarrass Asori but in a fun way.

And Asori turned a very bright pink. She sat up, looked Calla straight in the eye and said “Multi-course dessert.”

\------

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Lars,” Ben said as he approached Beru. “How are you today?”

“Afternoon, Ben. I’m doing well. Just came in to order some parts for the hydrogardens,” as she finished filling out her order sheet for the clerk. “How was your date with Asori?”

“It was… delightful. We’ve made tentative plans to meet in Mos Eisely when she returns from Mos Espa.” Ben smiled. His blue eyes sparkled a bit more than Beru had ever seen.

Beru glanced over and caught him fidgeting with whatever random tidbit he pretended to purchase. “I told you she was good for you. But that will be too long. She is actually coming straight from her teaching trip back to Anchorhead for the party. We are going to celebrate the kids all being admitted to the district school. Asori will be there. So should you.”

“Are you speaking of Asori Keithel?” The older man behind the counter asked.

“Yes,” said Beru and Ben.

“What she’s been able to get my little girl to learn… wow. Mina will be older enough to take her entrance exam next year. I’m sure she will get in with Asori’s help. Mina talks about her all the time and says she wants to be a teacher like Ms. Keithel. Beru, let me know if any of the other families are chipping in for a gift or something. I can give a little and I can be sure it will be here in time pretty much no matter what we order.”

“Thanks, Rooney. I will let you know what the others are planning. I think it’ll be settled in the next day or two,” replied Beru.

“May we speak privately, Mrs. Lars? Well, at least not in here?” as he set down his odd tidbit. Beru nodded and they walked outside and stood under the awning at the side of the shop off the street.

“Is everything alright? You said the date went well.”

Ben sat on a crate and looked up at her, “It could not have gone better. Asori is… beyond words that I have to describe her. Beautiful. Intelligent. Loving. Strong. Funny. Creative.   _I won’t mention her fellatio skills… that is private._ She is far more than I deserve… most men, I think. I have been… conflicted. I find myself missing her more than I should - certainly for just two dates but also as I should not have such attachments as part of...” His voice went from wistful and light as he talked about Asori to full of dread as tried to face the consequences of his commitment to the Jedi Order.

Beru walked around and sat beside him. She patted his leg, “Can you not enjoy it for what it is? Does your,” she paused and looked around “belief system prevent all joy and happiness? If it does, I would look for a new belief system. Or figure out where love fits into all of it. Surely love, affection, and companionship count for something.”

“Oh they do. As we are all connected...”

“Not in that way, Ben,” Beru cut his sentence short. “Not so academic. Real… personal… relationships. When I met first met Owen, he was so out of sorts. He didn’t grow up on Tatooine you know. His father moved the family back and he spent a long time trying to find a way to fit in. In that, he kept a lot of people at a distance while he tried to figure himself out. A year or so later, he had this vision for how he wanted to grow the farm and serve the community. He finally knew what he wanted and was working hard to achieve it. I couldn’t wait to help him build up his family homestead - make it our family homestead. You may not think so, but Owen is a good and affectionate man. He cares deeply for me. For Luke. And Owen doesn’t think so, but I know you to be kind-hearted and generous. All of that to say - don’t let it… or her... slip away. I’ve got to get going, Ben.”

“And should Asori not feel the same?”

“It’s the risk. I happen to think it’s worth it. Asori has a very full life with all of the teaching, but she is lonely. She is too proud to admit it, but when we get to talking, she lingers. Perhaps you two are meant for each other. I’ll send you a message with the party details.” Beru squeezed Ben’s hand before she stood up and left him with his own thoughts.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The party in Anchorhead gets underway.

The reception hall at Anchorhead was decorated with lights and streamers. The party, on the whole, was a collaborative effort - several families sharing the cost to have one big event. The room filled with friends, family, and a fair number of strangers who slipped in hoping to score some free food. Within the hall, people congregated around their own tables to celebrate the results of the entrance exams. Just as expected, Luke and his friends, passed. They would enroll at the District School soon.

“I really need him to help at the farm, Beru. Things are just so tough… that raid last year and the drought….”

“What you need and what he needs aren’t the same thing,” Beru gave a reassuring hug to Owen. “You will just have to show me how to repair those new condensers.”

Owen laughed and hugged her in return, kissing her cheek. “Oh yes. That’ll be the day. I need you to keep up with the sprouts!”

For a change, the Lars family had something to celebrate. The previous couple of years had been difficult with constant raids or threats of increased taxation - the latter ceasing to be under… mysterious circumstances. Owen suspected but had no proof that Obi-Wan Kenobi made the Hutt tax collectors go away.

Guest after guest filed in. The children ran from table to table and collected one another for games in the center of the hall.

Ben arrived shortly after the party began. He made his entrance and greeted Beru when Owen was away then slipped off to be as inconspicuous as possible. He sat at a table with a pair of Beru’s cousins and a couple of farm hands. As usual, he introduced himself as Ben and as a trapper.

“Beru!” Owen grumbled quietly. “What is HE doing here?!” as he stared a hole in the back of Ben’s head.

“I invited him. Asori is going to be here. If you want him to keep his distance, we need to give him a reason,” she emphasized for dramatic effect, “to do so. He won’t really admit it, but Ben is completely smitten. The way he talked about her at dinner and when I saw him Tosche Station last week - you could take a tip or two on romance, Owen.” Beru grinned and Owen just rolled his eyes. “Asori doesn’t know he is supposed to be here, so I hope it will be a great surprise for her. It will be helpful if she is as taken with him as he is with her.”

“Who has time for romance? There is work to do.” Owen said. Beru shook her head in response and laughed.

It didn’t take long for Luke to find Ben. He brought all of his friends over to hear a story about the Clone Wars. He told them about the Battle of Christophsis and the special unit’s infiltration behind the Separatists lines and the intense battle in the library. He fuzzed the detail that it was him and Anakin Skywalker dueling with Sith assassin, Asajj Ventress.

Owen made his way over and sat down. He put a glass of the adult punch down in front of Ben.

“I… uhm… am glad you are here.”

“Who are you and what have you done with Owen Lars?” Ben chuckled and sat back. He raised his glass and smiled “To Luke.”

“Yeah. To Luke,” and Owen raised his in return. “I haven’t seen Asori, yet. I’m sure Beru… well, I know she has something planned. She’s… a kind woman.”

“She is. Asori is more than kind. Just to say, I won’t make trouble, Owen. I am here to support your family - as I have said from the first day I arrived. My only concern is for Luke.”

Owen nodded, tossed back his drink and got up to rejoin his wife in mingling.

\------

“Asori! I am so glad you could make it!” Beru shouted above the crowd.

Asori pressed a kiss to Beru’s cheek and gave her a hug. “I am, too! I am so sorry I am late! The transport from Mos Eisley broke down just before we left. Transferring to a new one took forever. I got your message! You must be so proud of Luke! Highest score on the entrance exam!”

“That’s all your doing, Asori. There is no way he could have done as well without your help.” As Beru spoke, Owen came up to the pair and held out his hand to Asori.

“Thank you. It means a lot to him. To us.”

“You are welcome, Owen. Luke is a bright and inquisitive boy. It should be nurtured, and he will go places. Do things none of us imagined,” said as Asori shook his hand.

“Ms. Keithel! Ms. Keithel!” Luke came running to greet her. Ben watched as Asori held the rapturous attention of Luke and his gaggle of pre-teen friends. No doubt she was the subject of the older boys budding sexual fantasies with her statuesque frame and womanly curves not buried under layers of rough woolen fabric. Her dark hair pulled into a loose, relaxed bun. Her lavender dress hugged every curve and while modest (and relatively practical for a desert planet) in that little skin was exposed, not much was left to a creative imagination.

“Beru, about this man you want me to me. I don’t know that it is a good idea,” Asori whispered after the kids ran off again. “I don’t want you or him to think that. Uhm, well, you see things have changed and I am not certain of...” her voice trailed off as she smiled. Her thoughts drifting to how he kissed her at the station. The weeks since they last saw one another seemed longer than normal. Since she walked in, she glanced around the room periodically hoping to see his brown robe in a sea of other brown robes. She sighed and briefly thought it silly to think he would be there when he didn’t have a reason to be.

“Pfft. Nonsense. Meet him. Have a cup of punch. That’s it. That’s all I am asking. Give him a chance to be charming!” Beru whispered loudly in return and followed her comments with a side hug. “In the meantime, why don’t we go meet the Talisar family? I understand they have several kids they want in school and may need some help on the entrance exams.”

\------

Nearly an hour into the party, an older gentleman ascended the makeshift stage introduced himself as the district school administrator and gave a short speech. He congratulated all of the children on their achievements thus far and how he looked forward to welcoming them for the upcoming term. The students stood up; everyone in the room applauded. Beru took the chance to look around and spotted Ben. She nodded her head and hoped he would stay seated.

One of the other parents climbed the stage and called Asori up. Dumbfounded, she climbed the stairs. Luke and his friends cheered loudly. Embarrassed by the attention, Asori waved to the audience as the father spoke of how much her work meant to their families.

“We all pitched in and got you something. The idea was the kids. We hope you like it,” as he handed her a small wrapped box. He stepped aside as she said a few words, praising the hard work of her students and encouraging them to continue their studies and never to dim their curiosity. As she moved away from the microphone, the school administrator caught her elbow and whispered something. She smiled and nodded in reply. As she approached the stairs, a tall young man with red hair ran up and offered to help her down.  

For only having met twice but likely knowing her far more intimately than anyone in the room, Ben felt a swell of pride - of how she determinedly built a full life from nothing and the impact she had on this small community of farmers, scavengers, and technicians. And a pang of jealously as he watched the tall young man with red hair talk with her and shuffle his feet a bit as they chatted. Beru looped her arm around Asori’s. “Come with me! There is someone I want you to meet! Sorry, Lowery - not you.”

“I’ll.. uh.. see…you...” the young man tried to call out as the pair of women skittered off.

“Beru, I could really use this time to find new clients… right after being on stage…” she gestured in a random direction as she was pulled along.

As Ben saw them approach, he turned his chair so that his back was to the ladies. One of the cousins said something about Beru coming to their table.

“Pfft. Everyone knows who you are. All the families who had children get into the school are your walking billboards. Work is easy enough to find, Love is something else.” Beru’s head moved quickly as she scanned the tables. “Ah! This way!”

“I…” she stumbled as they pushed through the crowd. “But I really don’t want…” they approached a man in a brown robe.

“Asori Keithel - meet Ben Kenobi.” Ben stood and turned to face the pair.

Asori stopped dead in her tracks, running into Beru. Her eyes grew wide, and her cheeks turned 15 shades of pink. She arranged for her to meet Ben. A million questions and comments zipped through her mind - how did Beru know? Did she know they met before? And the most important being did his presence mean it was serious and not just occasional lovers? Not that she objected, bite marks aside, as he had been a very caring lover.

“Hello there,” Ben grinned as he bowed his head. He offered Asori his hand in much the same manner he did at the cantina. “A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Keithel.”

Asori tried to speak but found herself at a loss for words. Her knees nearly gave way as Ben’s voice caressed her ears. She missed him more than she realized. Beru placed Asori’s hand in Ben’s and laughed “I told you he wasn’t a farm hand!” she said before leaving them to reconnect.

“I… Wow… Mr. Kenobi,” Asori stammered.

“Please, call me Ben,” he said as he directed her to a pair of seats. “Or would you rather go someplace a little less noisy and chat?”

“Yes… less noisy. That would be nice.”

They slipped past the crowds of people and made their way toward the back offices.

“See? Over there. I told you,” Beru said as she nudged Owen with her elbow. Owen took a deep breath and felt relieved and hopeful that Obi-Wan Kenobi was finally going to move to the periphery, or better yet out, of their lives.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Asori find a private place to... talk. Yes, that's it. Talk.

“Ah this one.” Ben swiped his hand. The door whooshed open, and he pulled her inside. Sitting on the edge of the desk, he brought her to him for a series of impatient, needy kisses as she tossed the present onto the closest chair.

“You, Mr. Kenobi, are crazy. And how is it that I only just now learned your real last name? Assuming it is… Mr. Jaxor?!” Asori wrapped her arms around his neck. She returned his kisses and whimpered as she felt his hands move from her waist down to her rear. She loved the taste of the pallie wine punch on his lips - sweet, a hint of spicy heat. “Someone could have seen us.” Her head tilted to the side as his lips moved along her jaw and down her neck. She let out a contented sigh at the scrape of his beard on her skin again. She bit her tongue - she didn’t want to say how much she missed him. Not first.

“It was not an important detail. You weren’t whispering my last name in the throes of passion.” With another wave of his hand, the door locked. “But that is part of the fun, isn’t it? Do you really care if someone saw us?”

“Maybe it isn’t an important detail. I did not take you for the… hmmmm….” she murmured as his right hand moved higher and began to knead her breast. His thumb pushing the soft fabric of her dress back and forth over her nipple to bring it to a stiff, aching peak. “I guess this is your way of saying you missed me?”

“That is one way of interpreting our behavior. I did miss you.”

“Our? This is all… your idea. All you.” Her head tipped forward as she rested her chin on his shoulder before burying her face into his neck for more kisses. Her fingers dug into his tunic and pulled at it. She desperately missed the feel of him next to her. She could tear his clothes off and take him that instant. “Though seeing you here is probably better than anything in that little box.”

“Asori, I think you were expecting … something… to happen. Were you expecting to meet some strapping young man?” He pulled his head back to see her face as he grinned. “The tall redhead, perhaps? And the present is just an expression of appreciation. I am sure whatever is in the box is thoughtful and will be meaningful.”

She wrinkled her nose at his insinuation. “Beru told me she had a match in mind. I told her after the last attempt that I did not want to date any more of her farm hands. Since I won’t be returning to Mos Eisley until tomorrow, I wanted to be prepared for all possible outcomes. Will you stay with me and will you be … expressing your appreciation?”

“Of course. It would be my pleasure, especially to see you glow after an orgasm I give you.”

Asori responded with a deep kiss to his lips, her tongue searching for his. She began to work on removing his belt. Once unfastened, Ben caught her wrists and brought them around behind her back.

“No. This is about you. When we’ve been together, you’ve seen to it that I came first. Now it is your turn. Honored by your students and their families, your achievements should be celebrated, Ms. Keithel,” Ben said between nipping and kissing her neck. “Count me among the throngs of people ready worship you.” Asori laughed out loud as she playfully wriggled against him. “But you have to be quiet. Someone might hear you.”

“We could just go back to the rental,” she suggested.

“No. I want you wet, and I want you now,” his blue eyes looked into hers with a powerful intensity that made her stop wriggling. She almost stopped breathing and her eyes grew wide. A shiver ran down her spine to the very core of her being that made her pussy throb. She opened her mouth to speak but could only manage a whimper. Asori was about to become very submissive, and she knew it.

“Good girl,” Ben whispered in her ear as he stood up. He moved things from the center of the desk while she stood still. His words played on repeat in her head. As she watched in anticipation, her fingers dug into her thighs to try to keep herself calm. Ben casually walked around the desk and she followed.

“I would be more comfortable on the bed… back in my room, Master,” she said in a tiny protest and with a hint of playful sarcasm. “Then we wouldn’t have to worry about being quiet. Or one of the students hearing us.”

“Mmhmm,” Ben nodded as he moved her in front of the desk. He turned her so she faced the door. He pulled the zipper down and brushed his knuckles against the newly exposed skin. A little kiss followed to her neck as his hands caressed her upper back and shoulders. Her quick compliance took him by surprise. He didn’t expect her to fight or fuss but how she followed and waited bothered him a bit. Ben hoped it wasn’t just a regression to her training. “Wait… what did you call me?”

Asori’s eyes rolled back in her head. She writhed against him in response to his touch as he moved his hands across her curves. “Gods… Master… isn’t that what you were called? Master Jedi?”

It had been years since he heard his old title and certainly never purred in that suggestive way. He wanted to hear her say it again and again. “In more formal settings, yes. Meetings. By younglings and padawans. With this zipper relaxed, it will be easier to…” as he pulled the skirt higher over her thighs, the hem now resting even with her pubic bone. His right hand lowered to rest on her inner thigh, his left hand slipped inside the open back of her dress, caressed over her abdomen and up to rest just under her breast. “To touch you just… so. Would you like me to make you come, my darling?” His breath hot against her skin as he spoke between kisses to the patch just underneath her ear. Her delicate floral perfume that he missed filled wafted to his nose. For the brief moment between the question and her response, he thought how it belied her natural strength but did everything to enhance her natural beauty.

She felt like her legs would give way as she felt a rush of heat and want course through her - from her head to her cunt. She leaned into him, her back arched to press the curve of her ass against his pelvis - the playful tease of his cock through their clothing. “Yes,” she whispered.

Ben helped her to turn to face him again. The top of her dress had slipped down to expose her breasts. His light caress avoided direct contact with her breasts. “I see all the … enthusiastic kisses have healed nicely.” Gently gripping her upper arms, he pulled up to force her on her toes and pressed a playful kiss to her lips. “Yes… what?”

“Yes. Please, Master. I want you to make me come,” she said a little louder. Her gray eyes met his gaze. “I need you. I missed you.” She moved her head to try to kiss him but he turned his head and she caught his cheek. For the first time she could remember, she felt safe with her lover - a willingness to be emotionally open, vulnerable that she could not explain. There was nowhere else she wanted to be and no one else she wanted to be with.

“You will. I want what you want.” whispered against her as he lifted her onto the desk. When she raised her arms to wrap around him, he pushed them back to her sides. “No… you aren’t to do anything but respond… you may grab my hair if you need to later. Lean back.”

Asori laughed, her face burning a bright pink from a tinge of embarrassment and plenty of heady desire. It was going to be a fun game, whatever game they were playing. As she laid on the desk, she pushed her hair in place so it formed a makeshift pillow and using the edge of the desk, she kicked her shoes off and let them fall with a thud before propping her feet on the edge.

Ben walked around to where her head lay. He brushed his fingers across her cheek, her forehead, into her hair. When they dug in and adjusted so that they were looking eye to eye again. “No, you cannot suck my cock now.”

“What…?”

“That is what you were thinking.”

“I… well…” she squirmed underneath him.

“Do you remember when I told you that you should bathe in pleasure?”

“Yes. That still does not sound like you,” she said with a giggle.

“It is still true. So, again… do not do anything. Just enjoy this,” as he wriggled his fingers down along her neck. Every placed he touched began to tingle.

“Master, are you using some Force power on me?”

“Mmhmmnmmhh.”

“That isn’t an answer, Master.”

The caresses continued across her collarbone, the top of her chest, her neck. When he finally bent down to kiss her, she thought she would burst. She lifted onto her elbows to meet him. He nudged her back down before walking around to continue his tender massage by starting at her ankle. Then each calf. Standing between her legs, Ben stretched out over her and moved his touch to her torso. The back of his hand moved up toward her ribcage and then lightly pulled down. Her bliss was momentarily interrupted when he leaned over her. She could feel his cock pressing against her labia through their clothing. His chest near hers, the rough cloth of his outer tunic scratching her tender nipples. She wanted to beg him to fuck her right there - as hard as he could manage until they were both satiated.

“Maybe later. In the meantime, this may make you more comfortable,” he whispered as a pillow from the sofa floated over to his hand where he tucked it under the back of her head. She just smiled at him. A second followed, but he set it in the chair for moment. He pushed her dress higher over her hips, caught the waistband of her panties and slowly pulled them over her legs. He did not need to see her thoughts, her body and its movements told him her lustful story that he was eager to read.

“Talk to me, Master. I love hearing your voice,” she whimpered as he tugged the top of her dress lower to be sure her breasts stayed free. His hands slid underneath her firm, full globes. She wriggled and lightly pressed her labia against the growing bulge of his cock.

Ben thought for a moment about what to say. He grinned and recited parts of a poem given to him by Satine. In truth, it is was the only poem he ever fully committed to memory - with one minor change for Asori - the hair color:

 

> She walks in beauty, like the night
> 
> Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
> 
> And all that’s best of dark and bright
> 
> Meet in her aspect and her eyes.
> 
> She walks the waters like a thing of life
> 
> And seems to dare the elements to strife.
> 
>  
> 
> That man of loneliness and mystery,
> 
> Scarce seen to smile, and seldom heard to sigh
> 
> He knew himself a villain—but he deem'd
> 
> The rest no better than the thing he seem'd;

Asori caressed his face. She pulled him up for a kiss, her legs wrapping around his waist so that he would stay close. When she asked, she didn’t think he would respond with a poem.

 

> Thus he mellowed to that tender light
> 
> Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
> 
>  
> 
> Waves in every raven tress,
> 
> Softly lightens o’er her face;
> 
> So calm, yet eloquent,
> 
> The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
> 
> She may redeem him still.

Ben spoke its lines to her between kisses, her soft whimpers, and his methodical message. His thumbs barely touched her hardened nipples. Her breath shallow, and her hips lifted up from the desk. “I know it will be a small one but come for me, Asori.” He touched his forehead to her as she writhed and squirmed underneath him. The arch of her back pushed her breasts into his hands. “I am not done with you, yet,” before he nipped her bottom lip. She giggled as she unwrapped her legs. He took advantage and moved his mouth over her chest. “I wonder if I should leave another mark or two,” as he pushed her breasts together, bathing one nipple then the other until the skin of her areola began to wrinkle as they hardened.

“If it pleases you, Master,” she mewled. Her thighs bumped against his arms as she lifted her knees again.

“I do not think I have enjoyed hearing that title so much,” he said between kisses. “I hope you are saying it…”

“Yes… I want to. It feels right,” she interrupted.

He laughed as he planted another rough kiss to the side of her breast. “If I am your Master, then I should probably mark you as mine.”

“I thought Jedi didn’t believe in ownership.” He could hear the smile in her voice.

“Tonight I will make an exception.”

Asori could not help herself. She squealed with delight. Ben quickly put his hand over her mouth to keep her from alerting the entire complex to their activities. His teeth raked across her delicate skin before he moved so they were face to face again. “Now, darling, what did I tell you?” as he let go of her mouth.

“That I needed to be quiet, Master.” She grinned - a playfully chastened look on her face. She pulled at the tabard and pushed her hips into his to tease her bare pussy against the growing bulge in his pants. If he wasn’t going to drop them and take her, she made her desires very well understood.

Ben swallowed the grunt as he felt her tease his cock again. “Because I would hate to gag you. Hearing how much pleasure I give you is delightful.” It was going to take a lot of discipline to not fuck her, but that was not what he had in mind for the time being.

“I had no idea that you had such a devious streak in you!”

“I am well-traveled… I’ve learned a thing here and there. While I don’t think what I have planned will require the use of a special word, if you are at all uncomfortable or need to stop, I want you to say Hutt. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Ben… good thinking,” as she squirmed underneath him, anxious for him to continue.

“Yes, what?” as he took her rosy pink nipple between his fingers and pressed together.

“AH! Yes, Master!” She covered her mouth to muffle her giggle. This was quite the turn of events. First, given what she understood of the Jedi, she never imagined one would take this kind of dominant role. Second, she never thought she would enjoy it after how her master abused her for years. Third, she really really wanted him to fuck her but that seemed to be off the desk - so to speak.

“That’s my darling girl,” he kissed her. The kisses were lighter around her neck and collarbone. She whimpered as his cheek scraped the exposed and tender skin of her breast. He entertained a brief thought about telling her how much she was missed, how many times his meditation drifted to thoughts of her - dancing, sucking his cock, riding his cock, or her delightful giggles after her orgasm - made maintaining his composure difficult. In their regular conversations, Qui-Gon admonished him again to mind the attachments, to keep his focus.  Qui-Gon did say to be present in the moment.  In this moment, all Ben wanted to focus on was hearing Asori beg for release.

As he hovered over her, she studied his face - how his blue eyes sparkled with mischief. The flecks of grey in his beard. What had she done in her life to deserve this moment? Could she do it again? As he disappeared from her view, she let an appreciative sigh as his adoring kisses and caresses continued down her body. The scrunched up fabric of her dress kept her arms close to her body and low to the desk, but she brushed her fingers through his hair before he stood upright.

Ben smiled at the sight of the woman that laid on the desk in front of him. He wanted to memorize every line, every curve. Remember every whimper as though he would never see or experience them again. With a blink to return him to the moment, he picked up the second pillow before tilting her thighs back to her chest and nestled it under her lower back. “That should make you more comfortable,” as he wheeled the chair around and took a seat in front of her open legs.

Asori felt greatly bothered being on display and pushed her thighs and feet together. “What are you doing?” she asked but failed to hide the nervous quiver as she heard him sit down. His calloused hands from years of saber practice brushed up toward her knees.

“Not assessing your value. Well, not in this case. I have already done that. Priceless. What I desire to do is what you suggested - express my most sincere admiration for you and your accomplishments. This may take a little bit of time.” As he spoke, Ben slowly nudged her legs apart again, moving only as far as she allowed.  He was sure that she would relax but he understood her fear in this vulnerable and compromising position.

Asori took a deep breath, stared at the ceiling, and scratched her fingers at the top of the desk as her legs eased wide. It felt so clinical. Distant. A medical exam or property inspection that she endured. Did he have to do this? Study her like … oh… well… she did the same for him and he clearly enjoyed it. Perhaps he thought she would like the same?

“You are thinking too much, Asori. I can hear you,” he said with a chuckle. His tender caress moved down her inner thighs to the crease with her hips. “You do remember what I told you if you are at all uncomfortable…”

“Yes, Ben.”

He didn’t correct her. It was more important to keep her trust than play a game of titles. If she wanted to use it again, she would. He let out an exhale as he thought of hearing her purr “Master” against his ear. With a careful and delicate touch, Ben moved his hands across her thighs and hips and brought her forward a little. His index finger slowly circled her labia and played along each lip.

Asori let out a contented exhale and pushed her hips toward him in response, causing him to smile. It didn’t take but a moment or two before she relaxed and eased her feet a little wider apart. Her hands brushed the top of her thighs, up her torso, and settled on her breasts. She lightly squeezed them or pushed them together somewhat mimicking how she felt Ben playing with her pussy. When the circle tightened to just around her clit, she drug her fingertip around her areola.  

When Ben kissed and nibbled her inner thighs, Asori wet her fingers and pulled them across her nipples. She let out a groan as they hardened to a point of being uncomfortable. Then she licked and circled them again. Two of his fingers teased the length of her slit as she let go of her breasts and moved her hands into her hair. Ben stretched his arm up and covered one of her breasts, teasing her aching nipple with his palm.

One finger gingerly eased into her. The movement made easier and more comfortable as Asori grew more aroused. “I love how wet you are for me,” Ben spoke as he kneaded her breast. He sat up higher - he could see her face and chest flushed with color as she lifted her head to see him. Her lower lip looked slightly bruised from where she bit it - at the very least swollen. When he smiled her head dropped back onto the pillow followed by a moan. Her hips began to rock and her hand moved toward her pelvis “Ah. Ah. What did I tell you?” Ben moved her hand back to the desk. His now free hand, two fingers stroked - one on either side - of her sensitive nub.

Asori took in a sharp breath, “Please! Please, may I come?!”

“Of course, darling,” as he kissed her inner thigh again. He watched with satisfaction as she slowly unraveled - whimpers and quiet moans. Shallow desperate breaths. Her pussy pulsed gently around his finger. _Focus Ben… Focus… Later. Fuck later. It will be more comfortable on her bed._ Ben’s cock ached at the thought of her mouth on him again. He could picture her on her knees in front of him, her tongue bathing him softly. “Force… Asori,” he huffed as his own lust intensified.

She didn’t know what he was thinking. In this moment, she didn’t care. Her body writhed against his hands and pushed her to another orgasm. If she had more clear thoughts, she would have tried to remember any man or woman ever making her feel like this. Even in his dominant role, Ben had been conscious of her pleasure and careful of her limits. Some part of her didn’t believe that to be possible. “Don’t move. Oh gods. Don’t move. Please stay still, Master!” Asori pleaded with him as she rode the crest of her orgasm. She closed her eyes and shivered gently before she giggled. Her forearm moving to hide her face.

He stayed still as her breathing returned to normal and her body came to rest. “No this simply will not do,” Ben protested to himself as he stood up and shoved the chair back. His hand still pressed flat against her pussy. “I am still not satisfied that I have fully paid you proper attention. And don’t hide your face. I want to see you. All of you.”

Still in a slight haze, she lifted her arm and finally muttered “What?” just as she felt the nip and scrape of his teeth down her inner thigh. “Oh! That… ohhh!!” as his fingers teased along the back of her thighs as he sunk to his knees.

“This will be much better,” said more to himself as the tip of his tongue pressed between her slightly swollen and reddened folds.

Asori arched her back high into the air, now grateful for the pillow cushioning her. Every lick was long and slow. With his help, she pulled her knees back toward her chest and wrapped one arm around to keep them close together. Ben raked his fingers down the back of her thighs and left a couple of faint red marks on her pale skin that caused her to gasp.

She heard him groan as his face pressed firmly into her cunt and his tongue pushed deeper still. An obscene sounding smack as he pulled at her labia with his lips, kissing them - the sound much rougher than his actual treatment of her. The tempo and pace varied - long and slow or quick flicks or deep thrusts. As her legs eased wide again so she could see him, Asori let out a soft squeak as Ben’s piercing blue eyes peered up to her while his tongue encircled her clit.

He thought about extending his touch through the Force but decided against it. Seemed so unfair for non-Force users… and not that he should be using his understanding in that way, but how she responded to him when he did. It was addicting. This moment, however, was just the two of them with nothing special about them. He wanted this gift to be from him, not including his Force-sensitive side.

Lifting his mouth away from her for a breath or two, he grinned and then exhaled against her wet lips. She drifted off into a place of bliss, her mind lost to the pleasure and sensations applied to her. Asori’s legs shuddered and her inner thighs pulsed as the cool air caressed her. “Master,” she breathlessly panted.  To match the marks on the back of her thighs, Asori raked her own fingers again across the top, dragging them from her knee to her hips. “I’m so close… please.”

“You do not need my permission,” Ben spoke firmly before he pressed his tongue against her clit. “Do not wait…”  He regretted that her bunched up dress somewhat blocked his view of her if she didn’t lift her head. Two fingers gingerly eased inside of her. They easily pumped in and out with a steady pace. He curled them to brush on the upper wall of her vagina, mercilessly teasing her most tender and sensitive places. “So wet… so sweet…” he mumbled against her.

With that, Asori reached between her legs, her right hand dug into his hair and her left pulled at the collar of his tunic to keep him close. She curled her upper body forward, lifting her shoulders from the desk. “Oh gods Ben!” she cried out, not caring if anyone heard her. They looked into one another’s eyes as her third orgasm rocked through her - longer and harder than both before - the well-earned crescendo to his work. He groaned against her as his tongue continued to circle and flick her clit and his hand stayed steady.

Her entire body shivered and trembled under him. Some moans were soft others were loud as her pussy squeezed his fingers, pulling them deeper. His fingers, tongue, and even his beard were coated with her slick, sweet juices. Asori’s legs involuntarily spasmed and she hit him in the shoulder with her heel. As her vision cleared, she watched him - lost his in blue eyes. She wasn’t sure if she was swimming in love or in lust for the man between her thighs but she felt something. And not just aftershocks.

She shoved his mouth off her clit first when it grew painfully sensitive. Her head flopped back onto the pillow as she struggled to catch her breath. As before, Ben waited for her to still before removing his fingers from her. He rose to his feet and slipped from her as she reached for his hand and brought his fingers to her lips, dragging her tongue across them and tasting herself before lightly sucking on his fingertips as she watched him. With his free hand, Ben adjusted his pants to try and make himself and his raging hard-on more comfortable - with only minor success. “You are so beautiful, Asori,” followed by a sigh that hinted at his own need for relief.

She smiled at his words - no questions. No quips. For once, she only wanted to bathe in the affection someone else gave her without hesitation or fear. Her legs wrapped around his hips as he leaned over her again. With a tender touch, he lightly brushed the hair from her face. Asori’s mind was either full of thoughts and things she wanted to say or completely blank with the next ragged breath. For a half-second, she wanted to believe she saw a different feeling in his gaze… some new thought or emotion for her. For them. It was still too soon. Swallowing hard to try and wet her throat, she hoarsely whispered “thank you… Master…” with a wry grin.

“You are most welcome, my darling,” as he kissed her. She placed her hand on the side of his face, her thumb brushing his cheek. Her taste lingered on his lips and her scent filled her nose as she kissed him again. “I would gladly serve you in that way any time you ask.”

“Don’t tempt me,” she grinned. “But I thought it was the other way around.”

“A good Master knows,” he said as he peppered kisses to her lips, chin, and ear, “that a happy servant… or padawan… is one who will give more. Push harder. There isn’t a reason to be cruel if one doesn’t have to be.”

Asori chuckled, “You know far more about this type of relationship than I thought you would.”

“I’ve experienced a few variations. As a padawan. As a teacher or Master as the case maybe. And I was imprisoned on Zygerrian mining operation as a slave.”

“Let’s not talk about that now. Just hold me for a while. I don’t know how I will stay awake for the rest of the party. You wore me out.” Ben didn’t say anything further. After her post-orgasm giggling mostly subsided, Ben helped pull her skirt over her hips and rearrange her clothing. He smiled at the small bite mark on the outside of her breast. He inhaled sharply and exhaled the thought of possession - no one would own her again if he had any say. She took his offered hands and sat upright. She wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder. He returned her hug, occasionally playing with a loose strand of hair or caressing her back. His thoughts drifted to how Anakin and Padme’ did not handle their relationship well. It was not a mistake he would repeat. He would search the will of the Living Force for guidance, but this moment, this connection with the woman in his arms, felt right.

She sighed contentedly, and they held each other in a relaxed silence. That is until she groaned and curled against him. Her thighs pulled together as a series of power aftershocks to the dizzying orgasms rumbled through her pelvic area. With another whimper, she relaxed again and finally moved off the desk and to her feet. “You think too much. Your whole body tenses when you do that.” Asori turned around while tugging and smoothing her dress back into place. Ben lifted the zipper and pulled up. “Kriff. You should have helped me with my panties.”

“We are leaving them here,” as he tossed them into the wastebasket.

“What?! Are you serious? Being in a dress is bad enough… you know... Sand!” She didn’t give thought to what the person who occupied the office might think when they returned to work.

“You will be fine. We will not be outside long enough for you to be that uncomfortable by the time we get back to the room. But for the rest of the time we are here, I like your naughty little secret.” Ben kissed her to cut off any further protest. “Again, you will be fine. I doubt anyone noticed we were gone. I’m sure the mothers will be glad to know you are not available given the way teenage boys stare.”

Asori looked up at him. “You are full of surprises, Ben Kenobi. I am not available to teenage boys no matter what they may dream about. Your presence will keep their fathers away. Or the farm hands. Or...”

“I get the picture,” he brushed his thumb across her still swollen lower lip. Ben chuckled. His blue eyes lit up with humor and joy - for just a blink, his sadness gone. She had not seen this look before and hoped to see again. “What did the school administrator say to you?”

“He asked me to interview for a regular teaching position. It would be here in Anchorhead at the district school.” She slipped out of his arms and tried to fix her hair back into its bun before giving up and just smoothing it out while he did something similar. He did tell her she could grab his hair but did not quite count on her nearly pulling it out as the orgasm ripped through her. He smoothed his tunic and tabard out, refastened his belt, and tried to make himself as presentable as he was before they left. Together, they put the items back in their place on the desk.

“I would be relieved if you moved out of Mos Eisley. It’s not safe.” Ben hugged her from behind and kissed her cheek. She sighed as she felt his hips press up and against her. He did not mention that it meant she would be closer to him. “You are glowing. Let’s get something to eat and drink before we go back to your rental.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The commissioned art is by the amazingly talented @panda-capuccino. You may find her on tumblr: http://panda-capuccino.tumblr.com/
> 
> This poem is a mashup of “She Walks in Beauty” - https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/43844 and “The Corsair” - https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Corsair_(Byron,_1814) - both by George Gordon, Lord Byron


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Asori rejoin the party (for a little while, anyway).

Meanwhile, out in the hallway, a small group of teenage boys deserted the party to play a game out of sight of their parents.

“I wish that woman who was on the stage tonight was my teacher. I’d never skip class.”

A couple of the boys laughed and agreed. One of them looked at a nearby door.

“Guys, I think I heard something.”

“Yeah. The party. Come on, it’s your turn.”

“No really. Someone is in that office. And uhm... ” they all turned their heads toward the door as they heard “Oh gods Ben!” gasping then euphoric giggling that wouldn’t stop.

One of them shrugged and nudged his friend to make the next move.

“Maybe someone had to take a call. Use a comlink.”

“That doesn’t sound like someone on a call to me.”

Occasionally, they took turns peering at the door and waited for it to open.

When it finally did, the older man moved between the woman and the teens. He nodded to them before slipping his arm around her waist in an overtly protective manner. She smiled as they walked past and waved the present in her hand.

“That was her! The teacher on the stage!” one of them whispered.

“Kriff. What were they doing…” another started then they looked back and the door and then down the hall as the realization of what might have happened filled their collective imaginations.

\------

By the time Ben and Asori rejoined the party, the crowd had thinned. She still had a few people to talk to. He sat down nearby and chatted with one of the mechanics from Zeb Rasors’s garage. Ben tried to hide his grin as he watched Asori cross her ankles or otherwise fidget more than one would normally think as she talked to a couple of parents.

“‘Bout time they came back,” Owen noticed as they returned from the office area. “Could they really have that much to talk about?”

“Hon, I don’t think they were talking,” Beru shook her head. She didn’t point out that Asori’s skin was a dewy pink or her hair was down and slightly disheveled. Owen could figure it out on his own if he wanted to.

Asori followed one of the parents over to the snack table and picked up a couple of items as they chatted about her daughter’s progress with her music lessons. Asori didn’t particularly like this family, and she really didn’t like giving music lessons. But Imperial credits were helpful wherever she could get them, so she tried to make the best of it. As the mother droned on about hosting a recital where her daughter could perform several pieces, Asori glanced over to where Ben was seated. Luke and his friends had again gathered around for another Clone Wars story. Even the adults at the table were drawn in. She grinned at his animated storytelling style.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“We should do it - a recital - for all of your music students!”

“Your daughter is the only music student I currently have.”

“All the better! I will get a place set up. Next visit, bring a couple of new pieces she could practice. I think an hour recital would be great!”

“Mrs. Agle, she’s 9. That is a lot to ask.”

“Nonsense. When she’s a teenager and touring the galaxy, playing concerts for 2-3 hours a night? This is child’s play!”

Asori tuned the woman out again in favor of watching Ben. She had no idea what specific tale he spun, but from his gestures, it looked like a space battle. When he finished, Luke and his friends ran off, imitating ships and laser blasts. The way he stayed at their level - height wise. He didn’t stand and kept himself low. How he gestured from one to another, bringing them all into the story. She found herself smiling, a bit wistful, at his display. _No… not possible. Can’t be possible. Not here._

“We will talk at my next visit, Mrs. Agle,” and Asori excused herself. After nearly 45 minutes, she returned to the table where Ben was seated. As she walked behind him, her fingers trailed across his shoulder blades and up to tease the little exposed skin above his collar and below his hairline. When she whispered into his ear, she barely resisted the urge to nibble on his earlobe. He nodded and stood up, wishing his tablemates a good evening. She waved to Beru from across the room as Ben picked up her cloak and held it for her to slip into. Beru gave a wave and a wink in return.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Asori open up to one another and share more secrets.

Ben and Asori stopped at a nearby market for water, brandy, additional snacks, and something for breakfast before returning to her rental. Little more than a bed, desk, a couple of chairs and a cooler, they hung cloaks up on hooks next to the door.  Ben’s boots joined her shoes near the door. He put things away and poured drinks while Asori fussed with the music player.

“Beru is very sly,” Asori said - her back to him. “I can’t believe she arranged this. When did you tell her?”

“She saw me at Anchorhead the afternoon after we met. She was rather… enthused about the prospect that I had a girlfriend.” Ben came over with their glasses. “I was also a bit effusive with praise when I saw Beru after your visit.”

“Well… two dates does not a girlfriend make,” as she raised her glass to hide her grin. “Not yet, anyway.”

“Does this count as date three? Seems like progress. What does it take to win the heart of fair Asori Keithel?”

“My heart is a rather expensive item and only given to those most worthy,” she brushed one finger across his chin. Her gray eyes lit up with hope. Not ready to settle - still had those Takodana plans, after all - but she was not opposed to the prospect now standing across from her. “What are you offering?” She sat down, crossing one leg over the other. His jovial tone in the question posed told her he was at least serious in learning if not acting upon the information. The glass dangled from her hand that rested over the edge of the armrest. Her free hand brushed her hair from her face.  He grinned at her very business-like demeanor.

Ben brought his chair closer so that they remained face to face and placed one hand on her knee. “Do you know what nickname I earned during the Clone Wars was?”

“Does it matter?”

“Oh, yes. They dubbed me The Negotiator. Treaties. Cease fires. Hostage negotiations.”

Asori’s lips curled into a smirk. She sensed the challenge. The game. Ben traced his fingers along the hem of her dress, reaching just underneath. Twice now they played it. She leaned forward, her forearm resting near her knee to block his hand from moving higher along her thigh.

“But you did not face me. And just like at my apartment, I will convince you to do something unexpected.”

He laughed out loud and sat back. “I wanted to see you again. How is that unexpected? And haven’t you had enough… unexpected for one evening?”

“Ah-ha! No. Negotiator. I am insatiable,” whispered as she stood up a little and leaned in so they were face to face. “A bottomless pit of want and lustful need,” before kissing him playfully. Asori laughed before returning to her seat and taking a sip of her drink. “Your facts are wrong. Your first proposal was transactional. I dance for you. You teach me something. I proposed a date. What did we do?”

Rubbing his chin and lightly playing with the mustache of his beard… a tick when he would go deep into thought at times. “A date.”

“An extended date. Remember, it was you who asked me to stay for another night.” Asori grinned as she leaned back in her chair and watched this little behavior again. She loved watching him touch his beard almost as much as she loved touching his beard… or feeling it scrape against her. She murmured and hoped that it wasn’t too loud for him to hear.

“Then this is a surprise date. You did say you were prepared for a variety of outcomes.” Ben watched as her crossed leg on top began to swing a bit bigger. Her murmur didn’t escape his notice and caused him to smirk. As her thighs pressed together, he surmised her mind again wandered to their love making. The index finger of her free hand tapped the arm of the chair.

“Ah… so… what does that say about your intentions for our relationship?” he asked.

Her eyes narrowed to slits and she bit her tongue to not say something she would regret. Certainly he did not mean to call her character into question… “Do we have one, Ben Kenobi? I admit that my intentions on the night we met was just for the night. It wouldn’t have been the first time a man slipped out in the predawn hours. Part of the reason I invited you back to my apartment… I shouldn’t be the one to awkwardly leave all the time. But you stayed.”

“I did.”

“Why? No sass-filled answer, either.”

Ben opened his mouth to speak but stopped. He stammered. “I…” The truth was that he didn’t know why he stayed. He knew he didn’t want to leave that morning. This entire affair with Asori left him conflicted and confused. The more he tried to justify it, the greater the internal conflict. With Satine, he knew he loved her at one point in his life. Every once in awhile, he wondered what life would have been like if Satine had asked him to leave the Jedi Order for her. Younglings bounding around. Helping to keep Mandalore out of the galactic conflicts that raged. But the end of their affair was mutual and duty-bound, save for a couple of romantic encounters during the Clone Wars. No, he was no infatuated padawan. Asori was no doe-eyed noble. They were both worldly and world-weary.

“Now I am going to play therapist. You… you are full of great sadness, Ben. You are lonely and it hurts you. You carry the weight of everything you’ve done or not done. It bears on your soul… if one believes in such things. I saw it in the cantina. Others go there to drown their sorrows. You were there to give them voice.” Ben took a deep breath. His heart thumped hard in his chest. “They eat at you, consuming you from the inside. Your grief. The failures you think you committed…”

“I know I failed… I failed Satine. I failed Anakin.” he interrupted. His voice wavered as he tried to keep his composure. “My failure with Anakin …” he thought better of saying more. No one else needed to know Anakin was Darth Vader. “It destroyed my world. They both died because of my failures. My brother. The love of my young self. I cannot let that happen again.” He looked at the wall behind her for a moment then back to her face in hopes that she understood his meaning.

“Are you scared that if we were … that you would do or not do something that could cause me harm?” She raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

Ben set his drink on the floor and rubbed both hands through his hair, his elbows resting on his knees. His “yes” was muffled as he stared at the floor. His mind screamed not to say anything more, but much like his admission about Mustafar, he could not hide himself. He did not want to hide himself. He also knew that, much like possession, he needed to let go of the fear. “Since coming here to Tatooine, I have kept everyone at a distance. Partly as punishment, but also for their protection. If the Empire found out that someone knew of a Jedi, they would torture and kill that person to get to me. I’ve buried that deep down, but with you… all I can do is tell you the truth. It is magnetic and freeing. My well-practiced stories fell apart. My fear is that you now know so much about me that should the Empire…”

She reached over and took his hand in hers. “Then why deny yourself if I already know? You should trust me that I can handle myself and what I do know. Out here - the handful of Imperials are green. They are so new that they shine their boots every day in a vain attempt to follow regulations only to find themselves covered in dust the moment they leave their barracks. They are inexperienced and lack vision to see beyond their handbooks. They have no idea how this world works. The Hutts and other gangs run things, carving up cities like a game board. They could care less if you were a Jedi so long as you didn’t bother their operations.” Good thing Asori didn’t know about his run-ins with the Hutt water tax collectors on the Lars Homestead. “You should be more concerned if the Hutts ever found out I was a trained sex slave. I would be snapped up off the street and straight to their palace. Ben,” she continued with a small smile. “Please look at me.” He finally lifted his head. “What is there to be scared of if we know each other's truth? My closest friends here do not know my full history. Just that I was a slave. It’s common in Mos Espa - people gamble too much - so I let them think that. I have no idea why I told you that very first night. I’ve never told anyone because I am scared people would judge or try to take advantage of me. But, why should we live in fear? It never leads to anything good.”

He stared at her. Really stared at her. The cloud of the Dark Side… Fear. Anger. Jealousy. The Dark Side seeks to separate. Divide. _Oh this fine line to walk between Light and Dark!_

Asori didn’t say anything. His body tensed as he processed the internal war. His brow furrowed, and he looked around the room as if he could not focus on one thing or thought. She set her drink on the floor, uncrossed her legs and moved forward in her chair to be closer to him - her knees almost against the edge of his chair between his spread legs. Her gaze softened as she tried to discern his emotional state.

Thoughts spun rapidly through his mind as he tried to make sense of the moment. Her insight into the situation felt like a punch to the chest. He was scared for her - the defensive, protective nature of a Jedi. But more than that, he admired and respected her. Perhaps not the most romantic of feelings that a woman desiring to be wooed wanted to hear, but it was truth.

“Ben, talk to me. Please. What are you thinking?”

“Jedi, as a rule, do not form personal attachments. The Code forbids it - even down to what we own. I may have the hut and the things in it, but there is no personal attachment to any of it. It could blow away tomorrow, and I would not think much of it.” Asori nodded her understanding as he continued. “This puts me in a great bind because intimate relationships such as the one I had with Satine as well as the one that is developing with you… are against the Code. We are told that they are distractions from our growth and training in the Force. In order to become one with the Living Force, we must surrender all attachment - even to the body we inhabit.

“However, that moment is in the future. We are to be mindful of the present. Our connections with other beings as the Force binds us all together,” Ben continued. Asori squeezed his hand gently as he spoke. “There have been exceptions approved by the Council. Master Mundi had a family because his species had low birth rates. Others ignored it. I did. I let my attachment to and for Satine blind me to the wisdom of the Council. Held hostage by a Sith I killed years before. And I’m still not sure how he came back to life, but he did. Maul tortured, tormented, and killed her to punish me. After her death, I retreated into the Code - swearing to its ‘no attachments’ guidance as though my life depended upon it. The lives of others certainly did.

“My former padawan, Anakin, my brother…” Ben’s voice finally faltered as the sadness welled up within him “ignored it as well. His attachment to his secret wife was one of many steps that led him to the Dark Side and our ultimate duel.” He sat back in his chair and rubbed his free hand across his face. Looking up at the ceiling, Ben wasn’t sure if he did or said the right thing, but Asori had not run screaming like he imagined most would upon hearing just the tiny scratch of the surface of his experiences, emotions, and internal conflict.

Asori watched and listened carefully. The words were important but she focused on how he was speaking. Where the pain finally cracked through his calm, even demeanor. She bent over and picked up his glass from the floor and held it out to him. “Anakin was scared to lose her and jealous of anyone who showed the slightest bit of attention or affection toward her. Or if someone received an accolade or post he thought he deserved. Angry at perceived slights or injustices like slavery. He was a slave in Mos Espa when we met.”

“So you returned to Tatooine to pay… what is the word… penance?” Asori asked as Ben paused to take a sip from his drink.

He caught himself and did not reveal the connection to Luke and Anakin. He just nodded, “Since it isn’t a part of the Empire, the chances that I will be discovered are low. I can be alone and others will be safe. Someone once said to me ‘Jedi make things worse.’ There are days that I believed it.”

“Do you want to be alone?”

“No, I don’t,” Ben nearly jumped out of his chair at the admission. Not just the community he missed from the Temple, but the connections he had with Qui-Gon and Anakin. Personal, deep, honest relationships with others that he denied himself over the past eight years. While he had made a few friends on Tatooine, they were barely above acquaintances and no one he could really confide in.

“You don’t have to be,” Asori reached over and pulled him close so their foreheads touched. Kissing seemed too much in the weight of the moment. Ben exhaled softly and closed his eyes.

“You asked what it would take to win my heart. Be you… and let me be me. No judgement - as you said on that first morning. I… I don’t want to hide anymore.”

Asori had no idea where her own confession came from. Part of her wished she could inhale deeply and take back most of it. She was as confused by her sudden honesty as Ben was surprised by his. “I don’t think we are doing a very good job of hiding from one another,” Ben finally said.

“Maybe we shouldn’t,” she said with a chuckle.  A moment or two later as a favorite song came over the player. “We need to lighten the mood a bit. Take a break from solving all of our problems,” as she picked up her glass and took another sip. She stood, pushed the chair over to the wall and set her near empty drink in the seat.

“What are you doing, darling girl?”

The song she started to sway to was full of erotic sensuality. Force, how he loved to see her dance. She flipped her head and all of her ebon hair whipped around, some covering her face.

She mouthed the lyrics as she felt like it:

> So I love when you call unexpected
> 
> 'Cause I hate when the moment's expected
> 
> So I'ma care for you, you, you
> 
> I'ma care for you, you, you, you, yeah

“You don’t have to…” Ben protested. Asori put her finger over his lip as she had one hand braced on the arm of his chair. Her hips swayed back and forth in time with the music.

“Just let this happen. Please…” as she leaned in and nipped at his lower lip. He quickly moved his hand into her loose hair and held her close for a longer, deeper kiss. His tongue brushed across hers until she finally whimpered as she caressed his jawline.

“Asori,” he whispered near breathless as she slowly backed away from the kiss. For her, every step she took allowed her to revel in her femininity. For Ben, every step made him melt a little more. How her hand traced the curve of her hip. How her gray eyes bid him to look deeper - to find what he longed for.

With her back to him, she tugged the zipper down to its lowest point at the small of her back. She glanced over her shoulder and offered a playful smirk as she tugged one arm and then the second free. Unlike her previous dances that were sensual but elegant, this performance was raw, animalistic - the kind he saw at the clubs visited while he was undercover as bounty hunter, Rako Hardeen. All she needed was a silver pole. Thank the Force she didn’t have one. She was so much more. Worth so much more.

When Asori spun around to face him, Ben put up his hand and froze her in place. She laughed and tried to wriggle against it; she knew it was useless but she did so anyway. Her breasts were bare to him - the couple of red bite marks visible from their tryst at the party. The dress hung low on her hips, the sleeves bouncing against her thighs. “Why do you do this?” Ben asked.

“Because I enjoy it. Your attention… your lust focused on me. You seem to enjoy it, too.” Asori smiled as she realized that her torso was free (so she could breathe). She pulled in her navel, lifted her chest and undulated the muscles slowly, allowing them to roll in a gentle wave from her chest through to her pelvis.

With his left hand extended and some thought, Ben shoved the dress down her legs. Then he noticed the smooth undulations. “Kriff, Asori!”

She laughed and said “I could have taken the dress off myself. Or I could have walked over to you and then you could have removed it by hand. No need for showing off.”

When he released his Force grip on her, she spun on her toes and crooked her finger. This time, it was Ben who eagerly followed Asori to the bed as he quickly shed his clothes.

 

 

 

As he relaxed, the upper half of his body leaning against the wall, his hand played with Asori’s hair as she laid her head against his thigh. The smell of sex still lingered. She let out a dreamy sigh. Perhaps she was sated for the night. He chuckled at the thought. The end of the song she started to dance to ran through his mind again.

> Cause, girl, you're perfect
> 
> You're always worth it
> 
> And you deserve it
> 
> The way you work it

He thought Asori was perfect, and he wondered what he did to deserve her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lyrics are from "Earned It" by The Weeknd - http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/weeknd/earnedit.html
> 
> Yes - there is pop music in my world


	6. Chapter 6

Anchorhead in the morning wasn’t nearly as noisy as Mos Eisley, but Ben still awoke before sunrise. He moved around as gently as he could on the small bed - it barely fit the pair.

“Hmm. You are up,” Asori whispered. Her eyes were still closed.

“Yes. I normally meditate about this time. Have for years,” spoken as Asori cuddled into him. Her nude body pressed against his as he lay on his back. His left arm wrapped around her while he pulled the sheet higher with his right when he felt her shiver in the cool darkness of the pre-dawn. The thought of waking up with her like this more often flickered in his mind.

“Mornings are the worst.” With her head resting near his shoulder, Asori’s left hand traced small, random patterns on his chest.

“I thought we’ve had a couple of delightful mornings,” he grinned as his hand traced the curve of her waist. Ben took a deep breath and enjoyed her gentle caresses more than a little. “I suppose meditation can wait.”

“Good.” Her fingertips brushed over his collarbone and circled the divot above the center of his chest and below his adam’s apple. “I love this. Right here.”

“What?” genuinely confused by the statement.

“Speaking of morning, when you woke me up that first morning at your place. You just had your tunic on… not your undershirt. Or one with a high neck that is. So this little space here was visible. I love that.” Asori trailed her fingers across the notch at the base of his neck, down his chest, his abdomen. “And how your hair has this little line down to your pelvis right to your cock,” as her palm brushed across his flaccid member, “which is the most beautiful I have ever seen.”

Ben shifted his legs and his hips lifted involuntarily. “A… peculiar detail. And… I...” not that he ever gave his own penis all that much consideration in comparison to others (so many different races and species at the Temple, it was near useless to do so if you happened to see someone nude in the shower or on a mission), but Asori, once again, rendered him speechless.

“At the Academy, we had a class on human male anatomy. The House Mistress tried to embarrass me over the model I chose to use in describing the various … features and functions. It happened to look very similar to yours. I told the class that it was the most beautiful cock I had seen,” her fingers traced circles on his thigh and hip. “When my Master would ask me, especially after I was required to be with someone younger or fitter than he was, what I thought of their performance, it was in my best interest,” she paused for a breath “to say he was always better no matter what happened.”

Ben shook his head. Some men are, indeed, too sensitive and insecure. If he was so jealous of others, why lend her out at all?

“When we met at the cantina,” Asori continued. “The first thing I noticed were your eyes. How you were there… but you weren’t. Lost in thought.” Her leg draped across his as she hugged herself to him. “And how blue they are. I am such a sucker for blue eyes. And then you started speaking. Mmmm….”

Ben put his hand on the side of his face to confirm what he felt - how warm and probably red he got at Asori’s checklist of attractive things.

“And you are kind,” she said as she propped herself up to look into those blue eyes she loved so much. “You make me laugh. Mischievous. Intelligent. The way those kids carried on with your story time…”

“They remind me of the younglings back at the Temple - how I wish they were innocent of the cruelty in the galaxy,” he sighed and hugged Asori close. She shifted in the bed and nudged him to follow so that they could lay face to face. The tiny bed didn’t give them much wiggle room but they made due. Her left hand caressed his cheek tenderly before brushing through his hair.

“I… I’ve never really known what it means to feel safe with someone. I feel that way when we are together - even through the horror of our past experiences. I suppose it goes to being willing to be known… vulnerable. That past may bubble up, like it did in my dreams last night, but I know I can face it when I am with you.” Ben brushed the tear that dripped down onto her nose away. The hurt that coursed through him when he thought of the slaughter at the Temple, mixed with her own trepidation of revealing this part of herself overwhelmed her.

“What happened in your dream, Asori?”

“It was the same black room I saw in the nightmare after I because so upset at your house. I was trapped with my Master…”

“He is not your Master anymore,” Ben spoke firmly as he brushed his hand tenderly across her cheek before settling at the base of her neck. “You should no longer refer to him as such. We will need to come up with a new title for him. I am sure you’d rather not speak his name.”

“No… No I don’t want to say it. It makes me ill… he would have me behave like a girlfriend. Giggle and fawn all over him like a fool. All to make it look like we were normal when we weren’t.”

“You are a free, powerful, creative, gorgeous woman. Remember the meditation exercises I gave you?”

“Yes.”

“Add that phrasing to the mantras you repeat. I do not want you to forget who you are NOW… you are not the slave.”

“Even if I called you Master?” she said with a laugh.

“That is different,” he grinned and brushed his nose across hers. “But if you keep doing so, I’m going to call you Padawan.”

Asori wrinkled her nose before she rolled away from him and walked to the closet-sized ‘fresher. There was no way there was room enough for the both of them this morning. Ben pushed himself upright and leaned against the wall. He heard the sonic shower begin to hum, so he closed his eyes, slowed his breath and drifted to a short meditation.

> _ I am one with the Force. The Force is with me. _
> 
> _ I am one with the Force. The Force is with me. _
> 
> “Are you one with the Force, Padawan?” echoed the voice of Qui-Gon.
> 
> “Master?”
> 
> “Is the Force with you?”
> 
> “Always.”
> 
> “What do you feel with this woman? Does she bring you into the Living Force?”
> 
> “That we are connected in a way I could not imagine.”
> 
> There was silence.
> 
> “Master?”
> 
> Still more silence.
> 
> _ I am one with the Force. The Force is with me. _
> 
> _ I am one with the Force. The Force is with me. _

He stretched out in the Force, the threads glittering around him. He felt them throughout Anchorhead - their energy surged to the room. This moment as he opened himself up to the will of the Living Force. When he tilted his head and regained focus, he saw the brightest thread. It used to be to Luke Skywalker. This new thread led straight to the ‘fresher.

While he showered, she got dressed in a long gray tunic and loose tan pants, picked up his clothes and tried to smooth them out so they were a little less wrinkled.  _ I guess it doesn’t matter quite as much,  _ she thought.

When he walked out of the ‘fresher with just the towel wrapped around his waist, Asori bit the inside of her cheek. His damp auburn hair with the flecks of gray slicked back. She wanted to see him like that every morning. Or at least as many mornings as possible. Even if it meant that she would have to wake up before dawn. She could go back to sleep.  Ben gave her a knowing grin as he saw the expression change and a blush color her pale skin. He angled himself behind but just to her right. His left hand first brushed her hair from her shoulder before lowering to rest on her hip.

Asori let out a squeak as Ben pressed his lips to her ear, her neck and she felt his cock stir and stiffen against her thigh. Why did she even bother to dress? Or shower? Or get out of bed?

“I need that shirt, darling,” he whispered as he reached across her for his undershirt.

“This one? Or the one I’m wearing?” as she stretched her arm out to keep it just out of reach.

“Yours will have to do.” His fingers dug into the fabric and pulled her tunic over her waist.

Asori tugged the towel free. His cock pressed against her as she turned to face him. Ben continued to push her tunic higher until it was over her head. They dropped the shirts onto the floor at the same time. Her arms wrapped around his neck as his arms wrapped around her waist. Her nipples hardened quickly as they scraped his chest and squirmed against one another, angling for the best and deepest kiss. “Ben,” she whispered between kisses. “I need you.”

Lifting her just enough so that she was on her toes, “I need you, too.” He took several steps until they bumped into the desk. “Seems to be a theme…” he laughed as he encouraged her to turn around so that her back was to him. He made quick work of her remaining clothes and followed them down to kneel behind her. He kissed and licked over her ass and the back of her thighs. He could feel the heat coming from her as he pressed his face between and his tongue played between her deep pink pussy lips.

Asori moaned and hit her fist on the desk. Fuck… how did he do this to her so quickly?! Her hand reached behind her to pull at her cheek. That freed his hand so that he could lightly stroke his cock so that he would be hard enough to fuck her when she was ready. His mouth left her cunt just long enough so he could catch a breath or two and drag his fingers through her slit for some of her juices to make playing with his cock more comfortable and erotic.

He nudged her feet as far apart as her clothes would allow so he could pay attention to her clit. “Oh gods… please…” she moaned as her head dropped toward the desk. Ben’s tongue swirled, flicked and teased her throbbing nub.

“Not yet,” he replied after letting a small groan out against her pussy. He stayed his hand and mouth while Asori caught her breath and stopped squirming. She finally moved her hand back to the desk to untwist her spine with a heavy sigh. Ben’s cock was hard enough that he could return both hands to his preferred task - bringing her to the edge of orgasm. “You taste so sweet,” as he lightly brushed her outer labia with the tip of his tongue. “It would be a shame to not savor you.”

She had no idea how long he knelt behind her - kissing, licking, and sucking. It felt like an eternity but he brought her so quickly to the edge of her orgasm. Another moan. Another squirm. When she whimpered and begged him to please … please fuck her, Ben stood up and pressed his hips square against her, his firm cock between her lips but not yet inside of her. Asori propped herself up on both hands. “You … delight in torturing me…” she said gasping for breath. His hands ghosted along the swell of her hips, the curve of her waist, to cup her full breasts.

“Yes,” he whispered as he bent forward and kissed her shoulder. “To see you shake. To hear you beg for release… for me to make you come. Though torture seems so … unnecessary as you are a completely willing partner.”

Asori laughed and pushed back on the desk as hard as she could. Ben roughly thumbed her nipples, alternating between one and the other. After a not as gentle as he should have been squeeze of her breasts, he eased his hips back and slowly pushed the swollen head of his cock inside. A satisfied groan was heard from him as he leaned forward and pulled Asori up against his chest. Her arms went weak the sensations of him filling her washed over. She felt dizzy. The first movements of his hips were slow and more of the pair writhing together as she relaxed around his cock.

“So delightful,” he panted as they settled into a steady rhythm. With another couple of weeks before he could visit Mos Eisley, Ben wanted to make use of every possible moment. She twisted enough to reach back with her right hand and caress his face. Her fingertips brushed his beard. He, in turn, swept his fingers through her hair and gently tugged her head back, eliciting a series of gasps with every deep thrust. His other hand inched higher until his fingers barely touched the base of her neck.

Asori nudged his elbow, the push allowed his hand to encircle her throat. If he were to think on it, maybe he would later, he would notice the subtle and suggestive submissive behavior. He may even wonder if that was who she was or just part of a trained response that came naturally out of habit. Maybe it is worth a conversation. Instead, his calloused touch eased higher until her throat was covered. He applied no pressure, though. All merely for show. Not that either of them could really see in their current position. But there were so many more places on her lovely body to caress.

It was the tease of his hand along her spine that did it. Asori came. And hard. Her legs buckled and she fell into the desk as she moaned his name. Ben closed his eyes as he felt the throb and pulse of her pussy around his shaft.

“I want to come in your mouth,” Ben grunted as he struggled to hold on for a moment longer. Just another push. Asori whimpered a bit and nodded as his cock finally slipped free from her wet pussy. She smiled as they traded places. He leaned against the desk as she dropped down to her knees. No ceremony. No foreplay. Her hands settled on his thighs as her soft lips parted and the darkened head of his cock rested on her tongue. She glanced up as her mouth tightened around and lightly bobbed back and forth to tease the ridge between the head and shaft. The very tip of her tongue applied tender pressure to the frenulum and played with the scar.

With her black hair wound between his fingers, Ben pushed his hips forward as his orgasm overtook his senses. He looked down to see her gazing up at him. The tiniest of smiles played at the corner of her mouth as he filled it. Asori lightly stroked his still slick shaft as she leaned her head back. The white puddle rested on her tongue before she tipped her head and swallowed. She lightly caressed the tip, cleaning the last remaining drops as his breathing returned to normal and he finally regained some sense of where he was. Not in a dream.

“Let me go rinse quickly and then while you are in the sonic, I will get breakfast ready,” Ben said as he stood up and away from the desk slowly.

Sitting back on the floor, she pushed her pants and underwear from her ankles and handed them to him. He laid them aside before helping her to her feet and himself to a kiss. The taste of sex covered their lips - a bit salty and a hint of sweet with a scent of musk between them. She sighed softly as he held her. As strong as he knew she was, he noticed that in these post-coital moments, Asori often looked her most vulnerable.

She took a step back as her own senses calmed. Ben squeezed her ass lightly before walking off to the ‘fresher. In her mind, she saw a couple of toddlers running around Ben’s hut. Chasing. Laughing. Ben scooping up one for a hug. She hit her fist on the desk.  _ No. That… no… Stop it. You have been out with him three times. This is silly. Put the cart in front of the eopie! I’m leaving Tatooine eventually… right? Right. I should have the implant checked. _

Not in the sonic more than a few minutes later, Ben reemerged and picked up the towel from where Asori dropped it. They exchanged another series of kisses before she took her turn. He grinned at the light pink color around her lips from where his beard rubbed and dug into her skin. For whatever reason, this was the first time he noticed it.

 

“We didn’t finish the earlier conversation - what was your dream about?” Ben asked as he brought breakfast to her then sat cross-legged in front of her.

Asori sat on the bed, braiding her damp hair so that it fell over one shoulder, wrapped in one towel and sitting on another. “Like I said, I was trapped in this black room. It was cold. Black durasteel. There weren’t any doors. I was naked. My Master appeared. Last time I was laying on the floor, screaming at him before I started falling. This time, he spoke… he would soften his voice. It was a way of manipulating me or others. They would become enraged and he would seem sensible and calm. Whispering nonsensical words as he walked around me again and again. Looking at me the way he did the first time I met him at the Interview and was naked for him.”

Ben looked at his plate. “I once said to Anakin that ‘dreams pass in time.’ I didn’t really account for the importance of dreams or visions. If I had… things may have been different. Perhaps this is part of your healing process. The anger, feeling of helplessness… you are trying to free yourself from them. What is this ‘Interview’?”

Asori nodded and picked up a piece of fruit. “Before we were purchased, potential owners could meet us for a series of interviews to determine if we were what they wanted. Some of them called them “dates” to try to normalize it. Protect themselves, I suppose. I had two Interviews prior to my Master. With him, we had the conversation then I was taken to his suite where he tested my sexual techniques and knowledge.” She leaned back into the wall and sighed.

“Do you want to talk about him?”

“My Master?!”

“Yes. And we really do need to think of something else to call him. You’ve said he was from Corellia where his family lived. A weapons manufacturer.”

“He had brown hair. Thinning by the time I met him. A little pudgy belly but otherwise fit. He was 20 years older than me - in his 40’s. Uncircumcised. Rather hairy. Not Wookie hairy… but…  when he sent me to the salon to have pretty much all my hair from my chin down permanently removed, I told him he had to do the same for his back and he needed to keep the rest of it trimmed. For a slave, I was pretty demanding at times.” She chuckled as she took a bite of the fruit.

“Ah. I wondered about that. The, ahem, grooming. I hoped it had not been on my account because it is of no never mind to me.”

“It was of a mind to him. I will tell you that the hair removal was painful! Must be what a gundark feels when its ears are pulled off. Thus far it has been permanent. Anyway. I did like his cologne… so he smelled nice. I guess he wasn’t the worst owner one could have. Most days, I managed.” Asori continued as she uncrossed her legs and brought her knees to her chest just as she had done on the floor of Ben’s hut after her nightmare and rage-filled cry. He assumed she felt safer sitting that way so he didn’t say anything. “He would go through times where he would buy me things - I had a very impressive clothing and jewelry collection at the apartment on Coruscant, do things to try and impress me. Then he would leave for weeks at a time. When he would return, if I wasn’t sufficiently enthusiastic to see him... It never occurred to him that I built this,” she gestured with a wave across her face, “wall between me and the rest of the world.”

Ben sipped his tea as he listened. The emotional wall explained why she had difficulty processing her anger and hurt over her experiences and why when cracked, it flooded.

“Most of the people he loaned me out to were normal, I guess. I don’t know how to really describe it. There were a couple… maybe a few… that…” she didn’t finish the thought. She didn’t have to. He felt the energy around her dim. “I smoked a lot of spice cigarettes. I try not to think about it much. I can’t really do anything to change what happened.” She picked at the end of the braid before looking up, “It is challenging… because while he was rarely mean to me, slavery in and of itself is abusive. I can’t say the same for a couple of the people he loaned me to. They were horrible people and nothing ever happened to them - ever - because of their station. He didn’t care to know because it made him more money or influence. So long as he got what he wanted. I have to remind myself of that when I remember something from that time that might make me feel good or miss it because life was more comfortable.” She chuckled to herself, “I haven’t had one spice cigarette since I arrived on Tatooine now that I think about it.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asori has some time with her friends. 
> 
> Ben and Asori dig into each other's past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A brief reminder - Asori was enslaved prior to her arrival on Tatooine. This chapter has her remembering an episode of domestic violence (toward the end so you could read, you wanted most of the chapter and avoid it if that is a trigger). The description itself is not detailed, but it is there.

Asori flopped onto her couch. “How’s that? Can you see me?” She glanced back and forth between the camera and screen.

“Oh that is much better. So, how was the party?” Calla asked.

“Great! All my students passed. It was a lot of fun. They gave me this necklace. Can you see it?” Asori stood up and leaned toward the camera, hoping the golden star-shaped pendant with a small crystal at its center was visible. “And this…” she held up a little carved statue of the goddess of home and families. “There are so many meanings that can be ascribed to this statue,” she said with a grin and then set it aside. “Ms. Keithel needs a boyfriend. Ms. Keithel needs kids of her own. All of your students are your family…”

“Speaking of boyfriends, let’s talk about the good stuff. I love hearing your student stories but was your beau there?”

“Yes! Wait… He’s not my beau. Well… I don’t know. Maybe. Not yet. Maybe. Beru - Luke’s Aunt - arranged the whole thing! She knows Ben, too. Whose last name is Kenobi, by the way.”

“He’s a liar, Asori! I told you - men you meet at the Cantinas aren’t to be trusted!” Talun yelled from off camera.

“Hey! I thought this was just us,” Asori said.

“Eh. Talun’s work schedule changed. The owner came down with some flu. His wife said he was very ill. They are disinfecting the place today, and they will go back to work tomorrow.”

“I hope he’s alright.”

“Thanks! I’m fine,” Talun said.

Asori closed her eyes and just smiled.

Calla clapped her hands together. “More details! So he was at the party…”

“Yes. It was a total shock. I didn’t think he knew them well enough to warrant being there. But, he was. And we….” Asori took a breath and just smiled.

“You… what…?” Calla asked.

“We went to one of the back offices and he went down on me. With no expectation that I do anything in return. He wouldn’t let me!”

“Kriff,” Talun was now sitting beside Calla but just out of frame. They could see her but Asori could only see Calla.

“But you had sex after, right?”

“Once we got back to the rental, yeah. But seriously… no one has ever made me feel like that. No one! It seemed like the whole thing went on for nearly an hour. I came three times. And he recited a poem.”

Calla smacked Talun’s thigh “You have some work to do, Love.”

Talun’s lekku twitched in anticipation, “Oh, I will be sure you are well taken care of” as he kissed and nibbled Calla’s cheek and ear. “Can’t let Asori have all the fun without us. I think I’m now really glad to have the day off.”

“You two are the worst,” Asori laughed. “I wonder what the cleaning crew or the person who worked there thought of when they found my panties.”

Calla shrieked with laughed and then said, “If you ran for the shuttle now, you could be here by tonight. Max Rebo Band is playing. I think we could all use a fun night out. Stay with us and then go back in the morning. It isn’t like Ben is there, tying you down.”

“Mhm…”

“YOU DID NOT! ASORI! WHAT DID YOU DO?!” Calla jumped up and down in her seat. Talun winced and rubbed his ear.

“Ow.”

“No, he didn’t tie me up. Not yet. Anything’s possible. But he was … more dominant.” Asori was checking her data pad for the departure times. “I need to grab a change of clothes. It leaves in 20 minutes. I will be there by 6. I will tell you about it then!” She shut off the viewer, dashed around her apartment and tossed her favorite blue dress, a pair of shoes, her hairbrush and a couple of other things into her bag and was on her way to the transit station in less than 5 minutes.

  
  


Asori and Calla shared the mirror in the ‘fresher. “OK now. You have to tell me. I need the details.”

Knowing that Talun didn’t approve of the first set of bite marks, Asori shut the door before she pulled her loose shirt up. They were faded but Calla could see the two bite marks on either side of her breasts. “He is really into biting.”

“Well… he didn’t at all when we got back to the room, so I think it is just… a thing. Not like His Thing.” Asori looked at them and grinned before dropping the shirt. “I think His Thing is to take me just to the brink, back off, and then bring me right back. Ben took his time. Oh gods… did he take his time. I don’t think I have ever come so hard.” She gestured to the location of the marks as she continued “He did these after I called him Master. It was intense. Erotic… in a way healing, if that makes sense.”

Calla nearly poked herself in the eye with her mascara wand and stared at Asori in the mirror.

“It just came out. It worked in the moment. It isn’t like there is a collar or tracking node. It was part of a sex game.”

“One where he bit you to mark you as his.”

Asori smiled meekly before she leaned forward to apply her rosy lipstick. She didn’t answer Calla’s statement.

Calla looked around the ‘fresher. She turned to face Asori, “Do you know what you are doing? Really. Be honest with me.”

Asori put her lipstick down. Stepping into Calla, she wound her arms around her friend’s waist. “I do. He’s been incredibly kind, loving. Thoughtful. When I saw him at the party, I didn’t realize how much I missed him. Genuinely missed him. Not the ‘my pussy misses you.’ We talked through some stuff and I think we are on the same page… knowing what the other wants.”

“Does he know you want to leave Tatooine?”

“I’ve mentioned it. He hasn’t said anything either way. He will be visiting me in a couple of weeks so I will be a bit more forthcoming on the subject so that there isn’t any confusion. Maybe he will want to come with me.”

“Would you stay for him if he doesn’t?”

She felt a ghosted whisper of  _ “Would you like me to make you come, my darling?” _ over that patch of skin just behind her ear. She whimpered to herself before looking into Calla’s emerald eyes. “I… might….”

Calla brushed the back of her fingers against Asori’s cheek. “He is changing you. I hope it is for the better if you are even considering that. I hate to see you hurt. When I think about that sleemo who …”

“Let’s not talk about him. This is all about possibility. And love. And the future. Not the past. You’ve been there for me through some of the roughest days and believed in me… Ben pushes me to grow… to love more… just like you’ve always done,” Asori whispered as she pressed a delicate kiss to Calla’s lips.

Calla returned the kiss with a gentle sigh. “I want you to be loved and happy.” Asori lightly rubbed Calla’s smudged lipstick as she grinned. “And I thought I made you feel…”

“I should have said no man,” Asori whispered against Calla’s ear. “I’m sorry if my enthusiasm for Ben…”

Calla hugged Asori closer before trailing a few kisses along her neck, her jaw and back to her mouth. “As I said, I want you to be loved and happy, just as you were when Talun and I began dating. If Ben makes you happy, then run with him. If he doesn’t, keep looking until you find someone who does.”

Asori smiled. The look on her face softened, filled with relief and contentment. She felt like she found a place and people she hadn’t dared to hope for and she was, deep down, terrified it was a dream. Maybe she was inside the black box and this was the dream. “Would you want to meet him? Perhaps we could visit.”

“Damn straight, I want to meet him. Just because you think you know what you are doing? Someone has to keep you straight.” Calla smiled. “I’m sure Talun will have a few choice words for marking you like yesterday’s holojournal.”

“Why is he so mad about that? It isn’t like you haven’t had a bruise or two. And you left a bruise on him when you got carried away with that flogging episode. I told you to pay attention to him because he may not be able to use the safe word.”

“I know. I still feel bad about that. We haven’t tried it again. It’s just so easy to get carried away.” Asori raised an eyebrow at the irony of the complaints about Ben getting carried away. “Anyway. Girl, they were all over your chest,” Calla slid her hands under Asori’s shirt and brushed her fingers across her back. “I think Talun still wants to leave more himself. That celebration night was something else.” Calla pulled the shirt up and grinned, “We could tell him that I left them on you.”

“Oh gods,” Asori laughed. “He would never stop. I thought we… mmm…” as Calla brushed her thumb across the faded bruise, “weren’t going to… We agreed your marriage was…” as Asori slipped her fingers onto the back of Calla’s head and moved in for another, deeper kiss.

Calla sighed and wriggled into Asori. A whimper followed. “We did. It is. But what we had… have… had… is….”

“Just between us,” Asori whispered.

“Come ON ladies. Stop making out in there and let’s go. We are going to miss the show.” Talun yelled from the hallway. His voice snapped Asori out of her haze.

“For once, he’s right,” Calla laughed.

\------

“We talked some time ago about the Jedi you met, did you ever meet any of the Separatists?” Ben asked as he poured the wine for their dinner. Most of the lights in Asori’s apartment had been dimmed, save for the kitchen light and a couple of small lamps around and on the dining room area and table.

Asori brought out a platter that had what had been a large steak cut into smaller, more manageable pieces and roasted vegetables around it. “The butcher gave me the steak for helping his son pass his math exam. I’m very excited.” Ben dashed around and pulled her chair out for her. “We should go out to eat sometime. It would be nice to not do dishes.” But if asked, she would admit to the apartment having a lovely romantic feel. The surprise overnight visit nearly two weeks ago because of Luke’s party in Anchorhead seemed to change things between them.

Ben chuckled as he pushed her chair in and kissed the top of her head. “I enjoyed helping you with the dishes this morning.”

It wasn’t often that she stammered “I... ahem” as her recollection drifted to an activity that was certainly not helping with the breakfast dishes. He loved seeing her blush. She cleared her throat and continued onto to his question. “Yes. We went to Serenno and met with someone - a Count. Older man. Very creepy. My master…”

“What did we agree to regarding his name?”

“Right. Thank you. That Man wanted me to visit him. I refused. I would not go. His voice terrified me. It was fortunate that the Count declined any such gifts. I was sent to his advisor, Admiral Enigma. He had this yellow tattoo across his face. Long hair… a very imposing presence.”

“Enigma?!”

“You knew him?”

“Enigma was Quinlan Vos. We were in the same clan at the Jedi Temple and often trained together. Insufferable man,” Ben grumbled as he fixed a plate then passed it to Asori. He reflected on his friend’s near life-long flirtation with the Dark Side and exactly how small the universe could be. “The Count you met - Dooku. He was a former Jedi. He trained my master, Qui-Gon Jinn.”

“Could the universe be any smaller?!” she looked a bit dumbfounded at their random connections. “Much like you, he liked to sit and talk. That’s what we did. We talked most of the night about a woman he loved… I can’t remember her name, though. He said she showed him things he didn’t know existed. Then, I couldn’t stay awake. He also gave me a massage. Mhmm. I felt horrible because I was sent into please him and I had not, and then I could not for being so sleepy. He said it was alright and that I should rest. When he returned me in the morning, he gave me a kiss, smacked me on the ass, and told That Man that he was pleased.”

“He… and… I are nothing alike,” Ben gritted through his teeth. He knew the woman - Asajj - and decided not to mention the rescue operation that must have occurred not too long after Asori’s visit to free Vos. Though he was somewhat impressed and relieved that Quinlan had not taken advantage of the situation.

“Oh yes you are! Two sides of the same coin. Neither of you fit in where you were. Enigma did not settle in at the Court in Serenno. He didn’t even bother to look like he could fit in, either. And you don’t fit in on Tatooine.”

Ben drank about half of his wine and stared at her, somewhat bemused, somewhat irritated. “Neither do you.”

“I know. That’s why I am going to leave eventually. You should come with me. I understand Takodana is beautiful. Forests. Lakes. We could go skinny dipping,” she said with a playful grin.

“Hmm. Tempting. Very. But I’ve told you that it is complicated as to why I cannot leave.”

“I know, but it doesn’t mean that I won’t try every now and then. Maybe one day you will change your mind.” Ben gave her a little smile and continued eating. After a few moments, Asori said “Tell me something funny that happened while you were a student.”

He pondered the question before grinning, “This actually relates to Quinlan. We were on Ragoon VI. We were supposed to be practicing levitation, our Forms, or meditating by the river…”

“What are Forms?” Asori interrupted.

“The different techniques one uses with a lightsaber. Some of them can translate to hand to hand combat. When we start your self-defense lessons, we will go over them.” She nodded and he continued, “That is what we were supposed to be doing. Quinlan, ever on the move, dared me to try to keep up with the different tricks he attempted. I guess even padawan teenage boys are just like every other teenage boy when challenged. All of the training about goes right out the airlock. Stacking rocks. Balancing them on the thin side rather than flat bottoms. I think I matched him move for move. Well, for the sake of this story, let’s say I did.” Asori grinned. “Then he jumped to a rock formation in the middle of this river. I jumped to the one next to it carrying a staff for balance. He tried to levitate a small stack of rocks on the bank while balancing on one hand. The stack toppled over and then he toppled over into the water. I jumped in after him. Then we were floating out of the water thanks to Master Qui-Gon, who was none too pleased.”

Ben sat back in his chair and shook his head. It had been quite some time since he thought in depth about those simpler but not necessarily more peaceful days. Life for a Jedi Knight was not supposed to be peaceful. Faces rushed through him. Some died before the Clone Wars were over. He assumed most were lost to Order 66. He held out a thin string of hope that maybe others escaped. Asori watched as the same lost expression she saw at the Cantina filled his eyes again.

“Hey. SK…”

He looked around, confused. “SK?”

“SK… my Shining Knight. Brought you back to dinner.” She smiled and sipped her wine, clearly pleased with her impromptu nickname and that he turned nearly as red as his wine over it.  
  
  
  


After dinner, Ben and Asori curled up on her sofa and he flicked through the available holovids until they found something they could both agree to watch. He preferred more thoughtful, dramatic shows. Asori liked action films. Having lived as an action hero during the Clone Wars, he was annoyed by the stunts and how unrealistic the explosions were. He tried to point the flaws out, but she didn’t care.

They were watching a science fiction thriller. It was a compromise… mostly. Barely science fiction, not that thrilling, but it had plenty of things blowing up. Ben knew there were some battles he was destined to lose and controlling Asori’s HoloNet connection was one of them.

“What is the real reason you were left here, Asori? You’ve told me what I think is true but there is a piece missing,” Ben asked as he casually caressed her arm, his cheek pressed against the top of her head.

She closed her eyes and sighed. “I used Neibir’s affection for me to escape. I spent a year… cultivating that relationship. I’m not sorry about it. I did break Neibir’s nose. It needed to look legitimate. He intentionally bet me at my request. I knew this would be my best chance to escape. I told him I couldn’t go back and that he was the only way I had to get out where I had some control over the outcome. I stole the file with the ownership certificate from my Master’s office. I thought about just running, but the only ID I had indicated … him… as contact. Those who end up running are almost always caught again. So the transfer of ‘title’ happened. Then I could work on the next part of the plan. I had some money saved to start my ‘buy freedom’ program. 

“I don’t know what happened to him after he left - if he ever reported back to That Man after completing the run. I don’t care. The first few weeks were overwhelming. While I was relieved to be away from him, I was terrified as I was alone and doing work I had no clue how to do. Trying to keep my story straight and work out the other details to make them believable.” Asori stared at the flickering images for a time before she spoke again. “I thought he would come for me… my old Master. He often told me I was the best slave he owned. When he didn’t, I assumed he either thought I was dead or didn’t care enough about me to look. I served him for 10 years. Some days, if I squinted the wrong way, I might have thought I really cared about the man. He can rot in whatever hell you believe in. Part of me hopes the Empire found out he sold arms to the Separatists, too. Branded a traitor.”

“Kriff. Asori.” Ben wrapped both arms around her to hold her tight.

“You are squishing me…” she half-mumbled against his shoulder.

“How long had you spent planning the great escape?”

“Over two years. I had to be cautious. I started selling small things at pawn shops and hid the credits in the lining of my travel trunk. When Neibir told me off hand that the spring run would take us here for the Boonta Eve Classic, I went into overdrive planning. Hiding clothes but packing the kinds of things he thought I should take on this trip. He never had a tracking node implanted - or even some bracelet like other girls wore. He trusted that I would stay of my own accord.” She sniffed and shook her head.

“Was there something that set you to this plan… other than the general concept that slavery was wrong?”

“Does there need to be more? But yes, there was. For years, I was the trophy. I smiled, bantered, danced, flirted, and fucked whomever he gave me to for the day or night or weekend. The expectation that I was always ready when he wanted exhausted me. One day, we had a fight. I remember throwing things at him. Prone to mood swings... he sent me to doctors for medication and therapy. It never occurred to him that the mood swings usually occurred after he loaned me out. He called the security team in. When they finally caught me, he backhanded me so hard that half my face was bruised. It was the only time he ever hit me - a vicious reminder that I was owned and disposable at his whim. I heard him tell the nurse that the injury was the result of a gaming accident. I decided while I recovering in the medbay that it was time to leave.”

The Jedi Guardian boiled at the injustice of slavery and on a personal level for the woman he knew curled up in his arms. How could anyone ever want to hurt her? The anger welled up in him. Then he closed his eyes and exhaled.  _ Peace. She is safe now. And will be. _

“You can find something else to watch. I don’t want to see this film anymore,” as the two main characters engaged in a dramatic fight sequence. Ben switched the player off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wookiepedia and the defunct EU are my friend.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Star Wars calendars are hard. I needed dates and these are the dates in Wookiepedia. I don’t have a rationale for the counting down. I have no idea what dates Obi-Wan would have used because it was confusing. If you know, please share them so I can update accordingly!
> 
> You can do so at my Tumblr ( http://calinatere.tumblr.com/ ) or in the comments.

The next afternoon was quiet. Ben spent time reading and answering the random trivia questions Asori would lob his way as she did research for a history lesson.

“Foundation of the Galactic Republic?

“Which one? Originally established in 25, 053 after the Unification Wars. Then there was the Ruusan Reformation in 1000. Then it died in 19 with the creation of the Galactic Empire.”

“Mandalorian Civil War?”

“60 to 44. It ended at the Battle of Galidraan.”

“Home world of the Dugs?”

“Malastare.”

“Levels on Coruscant?”

“Over 5000.”

“Alternate name of the Companion Aurek?”

“Rishi Maze.”

“Is your real name Obi-Wan Kenobi?”

“Yes,” Ben answered then choked and exclaimed “What?!”

“I decided to look into the history of the Clone Wars. There isn’t much left; the Empire purged the Jedi involvement from official records. But if you know where to look…”

He scrambled from the couch and walked over to where she was working. He took the datapad and began to read.

 **“Jedi Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker lead the Republic’s war efforts – destroy Separatist vessel The Malevolence and rescue Senator Padme’ Amidala of Naboo.** ”

He read it. The color drained from his face. Then he read it again. And a third time before asking “Where did you find this?”

Asori took the datapad before it slipped completely from his hands. “Don’t drop it. That pad allows me to access non-Imperial databases, mostly from sources in the Outer Rim. Some universities. Journals and news organizations. Once the information is out there, it is almost impossible for it to disappear entirely. Even the Empire doesn’t have those kinds of resources. At least I don’t think they do. The guy who gave this to me said ‘can’t stop the signal.’ I met him when I worked for Bolla. So I guess information is like the Force… it surrounds us all.”

Ben took several deep breaths. In the years of battle, he avoided all of the news accounts unless they related to mission prep. It was distracting. Often filled with misinformation or propaganda – from both sides. The Library staff kept up with a large portion of it for archival purposes – until Order 66 that is.

“Yes, that is me. A lifetime ago. Another man, I suppose.”

She looked at the article again and swiped to another screen. And another. Report after report of the victories and defeats. Some of the blurbs she remembered.

“So, Anakin Skywalker, this is the man who was your padawan?”

“Yes.” He appreciated the way she framed the question. Not ‘this is the man you nearly killed.’

“I saw him a couple of times on Coruscant, I think. I know I saw him at the victory celebration after the battle over Coruscant. I thought he was rather handsome. The Chancellor was very complimentary of both his and the Jedi efforts to rescue him. I asked if you would tell me about your friends. Would you like to talk about them?” Asori offered her hand to him.

“I would, actually. They deserve to have someone remember them – even for a while. Not that a Jedi actively pursued glory or acknowledgment for their deeds. You said you met Masters Plo-Koon and Windu, so I will start with them. Master Plo-Koon was an accomplished pilot. Very even temperament. He really could not be rattled no matter what the situation and had a great respect for every being. His species has to wear goggles and a mask to survive in an oxygen based environment like most of the Republic planets – that best allow for humans to flourish.

“Master Windu… Mace Windu. Firm. To the point. Near inflexible about some aspects of the Jedi Code. If I were to be kind, I would say Traditionalist. He and my Master were frequently at odds over the interpretation of visions or whatnot. Master Windu didn’t care much for Anakin - thought he was too reckless. He really didn’t like politicians either but I think that is why he often represented the Jedi Order to the Chancellor and Senate - his natural skepticism led him to question everything presented to sort out the truth.

“You would have liked Master Yoda. Little. Green. Had his own cadence and speech patterns… reversing nearly everything and put it out of order. ‘Lost a planet, Master Obi Wan has.’ ‘Good relations with the Wookies, I have.’ ‘Clear your mind must be.’ His favorite saying to the younglings was ‘do or do not. There is no try.’” Ben smiled a bit. “I think he was over 800 years old. The Jedi Order, before the Empire did away with it, was not much over 5,000 years old so he personally saw a significant amount of its history.”

Ben let out a small sigh and continued to talk about other Jedi and padawans he knew well. When he began to talk about Anakin’s padawan, Ahsoka – though the joke was that she was their padawan, he finally placed his hand in Asori’s for a measure of reassurance and comfort. Asori folded her free arm and propped her head on it as she listened. He admitted that maybe Ahsoka was still alive as she left the Temple before Order 66 but had no idea in truth. He held out hope that she did and was safely hidden away - perhaps back with her people. Though, he knew her to be as reckless and daring as Anakin. She probably tried to hide from trouble but found more instead. It would not surprise him in the least if she were training rebel cells as she did on Onderon to fight the Empire.

“I have an idea,” Ben said. “Change your clothes into something that you would wear outside for a length of time. I will be back in less than a half-hour.” Before Asori could say anything, he threw on his robe and was out the door.

While he was gone, she returned the non-Imperial datapad to its hiding place. She changed into a long-sleeve shirt and pants, both in lighter colors, and boots. Asori was working on pinning her hair out of the way when Ben knocked.

With a press of a button, the door whooshed open, “I guess I should give you the code.”

“I don’t need it,” he gave her a mischievous grin, “but it would be the polite and proper thing to do.”

“That is rather unnerving - you just barging in here whenever you’d like.” She rolled her eyes at him as she pulled a scarf around her head and tucked it inside her shirt and then grabbed her jacket and gloves. “What are we doing?”

“Come see,” and they made their way back down to street level. Parked outside was a speeder bike. “Let’s go for ride,” before he took her hand and walked over. She climbed on after he got settled. Her arms went around his waist and her cheek rested against his shoulder blade. He let out a contented sigh, started the bike and began to negotiate the crowded Mos Eisely streets.

It was slow going at first, but as they reached the edge of the city, Ben roared the bike to full speed. Asori’s fingers dug a little deeper into his tunic as she clung tightly to him. She chuckled as she thought about one of the women she met said she preferred to ride speeders because it felt ‘like riding a giant vibrator.’

The longer he drove, the more Ben relaxed from the deep afternoon conversation as they traveled farther from the city. If he didn’t feel Asori’s breathing or her grip, he almost would have forgotten she was with him. The open desert slowly gave way to rocky surface. They began to climb. He took several sharp turns, nearly bumping into the boulders that dotted his path. He could almost hear Anakin tease him that it was ‘almost a good trick’ as they skittered a corner before he shot the bike up at a steep angle to the top of the ridge. His passenger squealed in response. With plenty of open space around them and a view from the high ground, Ben slowed the speeder to a stop and shut it off.

“Are you alright?” he asked as he patted Asori’s hand and tugged the bandana. No desire to eat that much sand.

She whimpered and sat back. “Is it safe? I mean… have we stopped and are there Tuskens around? This just seems reckless.” She hesitantly climbed off the bike and looked around.

Ben climbed off and nodded, “We’ve stopped for a while. As for the Tuskens, I think we will be alright.” He fished around in the pack for a canteen of water and offered it to her.

“Does riding help clear your head? Our conversation this afternoon seemed rather intense for you.”

“It does, actually. I don’t ride much because of the risk of raiders, but every now and then, I need to.”

“I don’t believe that I am out here in the desert… near dark. This is...” as she walked to the edge, but not too close. Everything looked so different. Smaller. The ride may have made his head clearer, but it made hers full of doubt.

Ben walked up and wrapped his arms around her from behind. His hands held onto her wrists as he kissed her cheek. “Madness, I know. It will be sunset soon.” She smiled as he led her to a boulder that was large, flat, and had enough room for them both. Asori sat between his outstretched legs and relaxed. “Don’t think,” he whispered. “Inhale… as you exhale, let go of all the swirling thoughts and doubts. Even if it is just for a moment.”

Time seemed to slow. The suns weren’t retreating from the sky as fast as she thought. Inky dark blue where bright white stars dimpled the night sky gave way to purple, red, and gold the lower to the horizon line she looked. Asori marveled at the beauty and peace she found in the moment. She never thought Tatooine was much to look at with all the shades of brown everywhere.

“Wow,” she sighed.

Ben didn’t reply right away. He was lost in the moment, too. “I try to watch every evening… from that little hovel.”

“Are you still mad about that?” Asori said with a chuckle.

“Not mad, but it is not a hovel.”

“No, it isn’t. It’s a little hut in the middle of nowhere,” she paused for a second, “speaking of nowhere, I have a question from that region. If we had met before it all went to hell… the Empire…”

“You are brave saying those things,” Ben chuckled.

“We are here in the middle of nowhere,” she sat up and glanced around for a listening droid. “No one expects anyone crazy enough to be out here. Let’s say we did meet at one of the receptions on Coruscant, what would you have done?”

“I would have introduced myself and probably made some small talk. You must remember in those days, there was a war and my commitment to the Code was absolute. Anakin would have been the one to flirt with you.”

“You are not as committed to the Code as you were?” Asori asked in surprise.

“I didn’t quite say that. But if you are wondering if I would have whisked you away for some romantic rendezvous - or if I would have wanted to - I hate to be the bearer of disappointment. I probably would have found you beautiful and charming. Just because attachment was forbidden didn’t mean I was or am blind,” he chuckled. “If I had picked up on the fact that you were owned, I certainly would have kept Anakin away lest he run the man through without a second thought. But without proof, there would have been little that I could have done for you.”

“You said ‘was.’”

“Pardon?”

“You said attachment ‘was’ forbidden. I don’t think you used the past tense before. Have your thoughts on that part of the Code changed?”

“I am still exploring and learning.”

Asori didn’t say anything but her annoyance at his non-answer was palpable, even for a non-Force user. Her body tensed briefly before she leaned back into him again and stared out onto the horizon. The fading twin suns bathing the desert floor in the last bit of gold. “We should go back, soon. It won’t take long for it to get uncomfortably cold.”

“Don’t do this. Just say what’s…”

“OK. I will,” as she twisted around to face him. “I find it a challenge to walk your Code, Ben. Your limitations become my limitations and I don’t understand them. Whenever I think of the ‘no attachments’ rule, I -.”

“Asori, this is entirely unfair,” Ben interrupted her. “You are asking me to abandon something I have lived day in and day out for over forty years. The Jedi Order… the Code… is all I have known. It isn’t that simple.” She started to speak and then stared at the rocks to her left. Ben continued “I don’t know how to live without it. I don’t know that I want to because it is within the Code that I gain my understanding and use of the Force. They are bound for me.”

She bit her tongue and knew that she was unfair. “The Code feels like it’s a partner or intruder depending on what’s happening. I don’t know how to do this. Us,” she finally replied. “And I…”

“Don’t like not knowing,” he smirked a bit as he took her hand. “I don’t know either, if it makes you feel any better. It is the truth and not from a certain point of view. What I do know is that being with you… I hardly have words to describe it. But, remember our conversation in Anchorhead - I am being me. And that means negotiating the Code.”

“I’m sorry,” she said as she looked up into his blue eyes. “You are right. Before that night at the Cantina, I had everything mapped out. I was well on my way to leaving here - in my head if not with all the credits in my pocket, yet. And then I met you. What was supposed to be a fling… I feel… I hope… it is turning to something more.” She swallowed hard at the admission.

“You are the best thing to happen to me on Tatooine, Asori,” said as he brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed the back of it. “I’ve been happier, smiled more, laughed more, felt more at peace in the last few weeks than I have in 8 years, longer if we include the Clone Wars. I don’t have any intention of letting you slip away that easily or quickly so long as you are here. However, I don’t have any intention to stand in your way if you decide to leave. I think it is the best way for me to live within the Code and enjoy every moment with you without regret.” He smiled a bit. Ben studied her face for a moment. She looked relieved, happy, confused, and crestfallen all at the same time - that a wish came true but it wasn’t what she hoped for. “Also, it is too risky for me to travel to an Imperial world. You saw the old news reports yourself. If you were able to find it with these rudimentary resources, surely the Empire is aware of who I am and that I possibly didn’t die as they planned. They are likely still hunting for Jedi or other Force-sensitives - with better resources the closer to the Core one moves.” He wrapped his arms around her as she began to shiver in the rapidly cooling evening air. For once he was glad that his robe was so oversized.

“I will be frozen by the time we get back to Mos Eisley!” She decided not to pursue his statements any further. She did ponder a question about which name he preferred - Ben or Obi-Wan - but also decided against it. Ben was the identity everyone knew him by, and she did not want to allow herself to slip and put him at risk, especially if a Stormtrooper or Imperial Officer happened to overhear. _Maybe just a whisper in his ear._

“We aren’t that far away - maybe 30 minutes from the edge of the city. But regardless, it does give me a wonderful excuse to warm you up in many different ways. We can start with hot tea. I think I saw a couple of different kinds in your cupboard. My tea-making skills are much more impressive than my cooking skills.”

She popped her head up, her mouth agape. “It took almost 2 hours to get here!”

“I told you - riding clears my head. So we took the really long way.”

“You scruffy….” he laughed and kissed her gently as she protested. "You best use some of your oral skills."

“You can wear my robe if you need to, but you are right. It is getting chilly. We can finish this conversation in your warmish apartment.”

“Hey! It is what I can afford! The apartments underground are more expensive and would cut into my travel fund,” as she climbed off the boulder.

“Is it still a travel fund?” as he stood next to her.

“Truth?”

“Truth.”

“I don’t know.”

Ben smiled and directed her toward the speeder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to my Browncoat readers. Can't stop the signal!
> 
> Thank you all for reading. Your time is valuable, and I'm grateful you chose to spend some here. I hope you enjoyed it. 
> 
> Comments are appreciated and welcome. Did I miss something? Is there a plot hole I could fly the Falcon through? Something that needs to be addressed or perhaps you'd like to see in Part 4? Oh yes - there is a part 4 in development.
> 
> Love notes to its awesomeness?


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